King Edmund's Case:The Death of Lord Cane
by Skittles Pie
Summary: When word of a disturbance near Glasswater Creek is told, will everything be as it seems when Edmund and Peter go to investigate? Or will it lead to something much, much bigger? WARNING: Rated T for the mention of woman raping a minor-ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, I'm sorry, I've been reading too many Chronicles of Narnia FF's. Love Edmund, he's my favorite!**

**Anyways, I'm so sorry to all of my BS, MPINP, and TSTB followers. I'm having a bit of trouble with them, if you like, reviews with advice would help, even private messaging would help. If you've got advice I'll read it, cross my heart and hope to live forever. Anyways, read and enjoy, I promise I'll think of something to do with my three other stories. With or without help, there will be more chapters, let's just hope soon.**

**And for all of you fellow SanLu lovers, a drabble series is on way. You know all of those little/big moments in the anime where they leave Luffy with Sanji, well this is my take on what would happen then. And maybe even when there's other people stuck with Sanji and Luffy and they still do their "thing".**

**Sorry for taking up time.**

**Read, Enjoy, and Review!**

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><p><span>King Edmund's Case:<span>

The Mysterious Death of Lord Cane

Chapter 1: The Revelation of Lost Virginity, the Nightmare, the Fellvern, and the Missing King

It has been five years, give or take, since the Battle of Beruna and the crowning of the four Pevensie siblings. Everything is right and well in Narnia, and Cair Paravel never seems to lose the laughter that bounces off of its halls and the echoes of the happy shrieks of joy that come from none other than the Four Monarchs themselves.

On a particularly slow day in September Oreius walks into the throne room, bowing he says, "I have grave news your Highnesses," He starts, the four sit up straighter, all looking at Oreius in apprehension, for if Oreius has said something is grave, _something is grave_. "There's been news of a great disturbance near the Archenland border, it's not the Archenlanders causing trouble, but something from within Narnia itself. There have been many a disappearances and murders, some in the most gory of ways." He says, his voice never wavering or showing emotion, but his eyes showing everything else.

"Could it be remnants of the Witch's Army?" Peter thinks aloud.

Edmund, looking thoughtful, says, "They've been evasive these past years, which has been quite alarming, considering their size and stature. If these _are_ the remnants, there must be an important reason if they've come out of hiding."

His siblings and Oreius nod at this.

"Then who's going and how many Narnians are you going to take?" Susan asks.

"I'm going of course." Peter and Edmund say at the same time, Lucy giggles when they say, "And we're taking twenty/thirty, without Peter/Edmund, I, and Oreius included." As well at the same time.

"Twenty," Peter says with a stern look.

"Thirty," Edmund says with a glare.

"Twenty."

"Thirty."

"Twenty."

"Thirty."

"Twenty."

"Twenty."

"Thirty." Peter realizes what he has just said and he glares at Edmund, "You little twit!"

"Stop it!" Susan says with a tone that says she is going to be anything but gentle if they continue.

"Twenty/thirty," Peter and Edmund mutter sulkily under their breathes.

"If I may suggest, Sires," Oreius starts, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, "How about twenty-five?"

Susan shoots him an almost unnoticeable I-don't-know-what-I-would-do-without-you look; he lets his eyes answer that.

"Oreius, go gather the troops, then meet us in the Council Room with the others." Peter instructs, rising from his throne to go to the said room. Edmund rises with him, with the two heading for the Council Room that left Susan and Lucy to discuss things.

**...**

"I'm going to say this for the last time, Peter." Edmund says slowly, "I. Am. Still. A. Virgin."

Peter gives him a disagreeing look, Edmund growls, feeling annoyance at his older brother. He is _fifteen_ for God's sakes! Why wouldn't he be a virgin?

"I've seen the way you've looked at a couple of girls when we were last in Archenland." Peter says.

Edmund grits his teeth and resists the urge to smack his head on the wall repeatedly, which is now being replaced by the mental image of his _brother's_ head.

Seeing a familiar Centaur, "Virges, would you come here for a second?"

The dark-haired Centaur turns; her caramel-colored coat looking glossy and well-groomed.

"Yes, King Edmund?" She asks, going over to the two Kings.

"Will check me so you can tell Peter that my virginity is still intact," Edmund asks, sending an annoyed look at his brother.

Virges walks around Edmund in a circle, calculating his appearance and scent.

Once her check is done she says, "King Edmund is not a virgin." She concludes.

"What!" Both Peter and Edmund exclaim at the same time.

"Edmund Darien Pevensie!" Peter looks at him with righteous anger.

Edmund looks at him with a lost expression, "I can't believe it, I–I, how!" He stutters out, too shocked to be afraid of his brother at the moment.

Peter looks at him confusedly, "You mean you didn't know?"

"No!" Edmund looks at him sharply.

"If I may," Virges cuts in, "I think I know who." She says gravely.

"Who!" Both Peter and Edmund ask at the same time.

"The White Witch," She says gravely, Edmund pales and almost faints, "She's the only one who could possibly have the power to erase your memory of… the 'event'." She looks almost uncomfortable, but still continues, "I had fought her and sensed that she had another life in her, a faint force, but it was there. I hadn't been able to tell whose because she had turned me to stone. Thank Aslan for freeing me." Edmund stumbles, Peter is immediately behind him to catch him when he faints and had started to fall.

"That witch is lucky she's dead," Peter growls as he brings his hand down to Edmund's midback and the other under his knees and pick him up. "Tell Oreius that the War Council will be postponed to twilight." He tells Virges.

"Understood, Sire." She bows and left, concern for the Just King evident in her eyes. Centaurs are stern and proud creatures, never showing emotion through facial expressions, but no matter how hard they try they can't keep the emotion out of their eyes.

**...**

Edmund groans as he sits up, "What happened?" He asks to no one in particular.

"You'd fainted, dear." Susan says softly from next to him.

"Yeah, I had to carry you up here." Peter says.

Lucy bursts, hugging him tightly, "I'm so sorry, Edmund!"

Edmund looks at her confused, "Why are you sorry?" Then he realizes, "So Peter told you and Susan." It is a statement, not a question.

"I only told them, because they needed to know." Peter says with a sad look in his eyes.

Edmund nods reluctantly, if it had been his choice he would've liked to have found out the information by himself.

"Wait, what about the War Council?" Edmund asks.

Peter shakes his head disapprovingly, wanting Edmund to have taken a little more time to recover from the shock, "I postponed it to twilight."

Edmund looks out the window and sees the last rays of the Sun disappearing behind the horizon, "Why it's almost twilight!" He gets up out of bed and starts shuffling around the room, he grabs a couple of papers and his silver crown, hastily donning it on top of his black, wavy hair. He's grown it out, the curls have faded into waves, he quite likes the style. Unlike Susan, but he knows that she's subdued with fussing with Peter and Lucy's hair.

"Do you think it's a good idea to let him continue as if nothing was wrong?" Lucy asks Peter.

"I don't know, Lu." Peter looks at where Edmund had left, "I don't know." He says before getting up and following after the younger King.

Lucy looks worried, "Come on, let's go pack some things for them." Susan gives her a kiss on the top of her head, "You know how much Peter loves it when you make him his special peach jam, and Edmund his blackberry and vanilla toast." She says, taking Lucy's hand so they could head down to the kitchens to make said food items.

Lucy smiles, "Yes, almost as much as much as your peppermint napkins. We should pack them as well, so they can have some of you as well as I."

Susan smiles, "I think that would be delightful."

**...**

"From what we know, the disturbance is near the Archenland border, somewhere in the patch of forest close to Glasswater Creek." Oreius says.

"If we follow the Rush River from Cair Paravel instead of taking the coastal route we'd have more cover. Yes, it may take a while longer but it would be the best course of action since we don't know exactly what the problem is." Edmund says, taking his finger along the routes to visually show what he meant.

Oreius nods with a look of satisfaction on his face, "That decision is a wise one."

Peter's eyes shine with pride, and he says, "So with a party of twenty-eight, Edmund, Oreius, and I included, we shall follow the Rush River down to Glasswater Creek near the Archenland border." He summarizes.

"Any objections?" Edmund asks, no one makes any, "Good, now we should all get ready to leave tomorrow at dawn so we can cover more ground. This trip should be about half a fortnight-long, give or take. Is everything to your agreement, brother?" He asks Peter.

"Yes," He says, "Everyone should try to get some rest once preparations are done, if these are the remnants or something else we should all be well-rested and prepared." Everyone nods and the two Kings take their leave.

**...**

_Cold hands trail down his body, leaving frost and goose bumps in their wake._

"_N-No, stop! I don't want this!" Edmund says, frozen teardrops on his cheeks._

"_Oh, but this _is_ what you wanted. You're the one that came to my castle." The woman's voice says softly, malice embedded in her words. "Now, my little King, why don't we get those clothes off, hm?"_

"_No! Please, I don't want this!"_

"_It's your fault, you betrayed them, now this is what you will receive."_

"_NO!"_

**...**

"No, no, no, no…" Edmund mutters in his sleep, tossing and turning in his bed.

"Oh, Edmund…" A soft voice says as they step into his room. The person sits on the side of the bed, reaching down and enveloping the muttering King. Brushing his sweaty bangs out of his face the person rocks back and forth, whispering soft nothings of comfort into Edmund's ear.

Edmund opens his eyes, seeing his older brother holding him and not the White Witch, he starts to sob into Peter's nightshirt while he rocks him back and forth.

There are no words exchanged between the two, for whenever Edmund would have nightmares Peter would always be in his bed the next morning, holding him close. In fact, whenever one of the two brothers were worried, about the other or something else (it didn't matter what), the castle staff and/or their sisters would find them in the same bed either in a tangle of limbs or a simple embrace.

Soon Edmund's sobs quiet down as he falls asleep in Peter's arms, laying him the boy down gently Peter settles down next to Edmund and wraps his arms around his waist.

Later in the night Lucy comes into Edmund's room, seeing Peter's arms wrapped Edmund she knows that Edmund must've had a nightmare. Going over to the two she climbs into the covers, taking Edmund's left hand in her own.

When Susan had gone to check on Lucy and hadn't found her in her room she had rushed to Peter's, Peter wasn't in his room either, so she rushed to Edmund's, seeing both of the "missing" persons in the bed with Edmund she smiles, shaking her head. She goes over and slips into the covers, taking Edmund's other hand (as Edmund is on his side and has both hands on his left side).

**...**

Peter moans softly as he wakes up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes he sees the positions his sisters have taken with Edmund.

'_We haven't all shared a bed like this since nightmare I'd had after the Battle of Beruna._' Peter thinks, smiling softly at his sleeping siblings. '_Well, it's now or never to wake them._'

"Hey, wake up." He says softly.

Lucy yawns and blinks her eyes open, Susan slowly opens her eyes.

Edmund just mutters something and keeps his eyes closed as his sisters withdraw their hands from his and Peter sits up, removing his arms from his waist.

"Ed, come on, you've got to wake up." Peter says.

"Peter… Chocolate… Dawn… Narnian Law… Annoying… Not… Sleep…." Edmund mutters incoherently, he has never been a morning person.

"Come on, Edmund, we've got so much to do!" Lucy smiles, clearly a morning person.

"Does that mean I have to get up?" Edmund asks, his eyes opening, dark chocolate orbs staring at his younger sister.

"Of course, silly, it's almost dawn and time for you and Peter to leave." Lucy chirps happily.

"Fine," Edmund says, a smirk on his face he turns over, "Good night, then."

"Edmund," Susan says warningly, but she knows it would have little effect. No one has ever succeeded in waking Edmund up and getting him out of bed unless he does so himself, the only known person to ever have is their mother, and that was only because she had been cooking his favorite meal of: eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice, and sugar-burnt Breakfast Soufflé and he had smelt it, in thus fully waking him up.

"You know what this means, right?" Lucy smiles slyly.

The two oldest siblings catch onto her plan and smile evilly back, "Tickle Edmund!"

Edmund's eyes shoot open, even if someone tries to get him out of bed by tickling him it wouldn't work because his nerves would be sluggish with sleep, but even if his nerves were sluggish he would still feel _three_ people tickling him at the same time.

At once he feels hands at his sides, sliding up and down while keeping the tickling motion going strong.

With a burst of laughter he feels tears prick his eyes, "O–Okay, I get it! Stop already!" He laughs.

"Promise you'll get up?" Peter grins mischievously.

"Only if you *laugh* promise that you'll *laugh* never wake me up this way *laugh* ever again!" Edmund sputters, his will still strong.

"Fine," They relent and Edmund gets his breath back, sitting up he smirks at them.

"You know I'm going to get you back for this," He says with a classic My-Name-is-Edmund-Pevensie-and-You're-Gonna-Be-My-Next-Victim smirk. The three pale slightly, "Now, kindly leave so I can go take a bath. I'll meet you in the Dining Room in about twenty minutes." He says cheerily.

All three siblings nod, giving him a slightly wary look as they leave. Even when Edmund wakes up every morning he'd never be cheery or happy like Lucy, always snarky and sarcastic until he has completely woken up. And that's always after his morning tea and spar/practice with either Oreius or Peter, not even a bath would wake him up completely, it'd only freshen him up.

Getting out of bed Edmund heads for the bathroom where he finds the bath already drawn for him, the work of the Dryad, Aloveen. Taking off his clothes he steps into the bath, he scrubs himself with soap harder than necessary, almost as if to wipe away a cold witch's touch from years ago.

He sighed when he's done, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around himself he drains the tub and goes back into his room. He picks out a blue tunic with light grey undertones, his black sword-belt, and light grey trousers that he tightens with leather laces, and black boots. He runs a hand through his hair to comb it before settling his silver crown on top and then he puts on his dark green cloak, all of his cloaks' clasps are silver with his insignia of a scale on it. As Peter's are gold and have his sword on them, Susan's are silver as well with her horn on them, and Lucy's are silver with her cordial on them.

"I'm ready," Edmund smiles, pleased with his appearance.

"_Of course you are, little King._" A voice whispered scornfully in his ear, and for a second Edmund swore that he saw Jadis's icy, dark green eyes. Yes, her eyes appear black, but they're dark green. Edmund has known this fact with dark certainty for a long time.

"You're dead, I've beaten you, Aslan's beaten you, there's nothing more you can do to me then what you've already done." Edmund says monotonously, turning around and leaving the room. As he heads to the Dining Room he smells something familiar, "It can't be…" When he walks into the room he feels a familiar force tackle him, "'Ello, Lu." He says.

"'Ello, Ed." She grins up at him.

"Susan, have you make what I think you've made?" Edmund asks a smiling Susan.

"Why don't you come and see for yourself." She replies.

"Come on, Lu, I'm starved." He says, prying her arms off of his middle, "Are you getting taller? Your head's almost to the base of my neck."

Lucy rolls her eyes with a smile, "Of course I'm getting taller, silly. I'm a growing girl."

Edmund laughs, walking to the table, "And you mustn't forget that I'm a growing boy and have the appetite of three Centaurs, of course Mummy Susan still thinks I don't eat enough." He says as he gives Susan a look at the last part. Susan has to refrain from rolling her eyes. Edmund sees the food laid out on the table, "Susan, you didn't!" On the table are eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice, and their mother's Breakfast Soufflé.

"Edmund, I did!" Susan mimics with a small smirk on her face.

"I was thinking about making your payback not as bad, but with that comment I'm afraid I can't now." Edmund says with a smirk.

"Just get your arse over here so we can eat, I'm starving!" Peter whines, "Mummy Susan didn't let me– er, us, have any until you would come, so hurry!"

Edmund shakes his head but takes a spot next to Peter, Susan and Lucy in front of the two.

As they all start to eat Edmund asks, "How did you get Mum's recipe? Did she give it to you?"

Susan smiles, "Even better, she taught me step by step how to make it."

Lucy puts down her fork, "I miss Mum."

Susan looks at her with a soft expression, "We all do, Lu." The boys nod.

"If Aslan means for us to go back to the Other Place, England I mean, then we will, one day, and we'll see Mum again. Hopefully Dad too." Edmund says, Peter gives him a sideways glance. Out of all the siblings Edmund had taken it the hardest when their father had been drafted for the war.

Lucy smiles, "You're right, Ed. Thanks."

Edmund smiles back, "You're quite welcome, Lu. Now, back to the last decent meal that Peter and I will probably be having for half a fortnight."

**...**

"Are Your Majesties ready to head out?" Oreius asks.

"Yes," Both Peter and Edmund answer at the same time, "Stop doing that!" They say in union again, "Argh! I said stop it you twit!" Again they say at the same time. "Peter/Edmund Colin/Darien Pevensie!"

"Boys!" Susan says sharply as Lucy does nothing to hide her giggles and Oreius the twinkle in his eyes, if one looks carefully enough they can see the corners of the oldest Queen's mouth is slightly upturned, "Do be careful."

"Yes, Mummy Susan." Peter and Edmund say at the same time, except Edmund had rolled his eyes. The two glare at each other, "Stop doing that!" They look at each other, "Me? You're the one doing it! I said stop it!"

"Enough!" Susan says exasperated, she gives Oreius a look of sympathy, he'd have to be dealing with the two for the whole trip. But then again, he always has to when the two Kings would go somewhere because Oreius would always have to go with them to keep them safe. From each other and other dangers.

Lucy gives the two hugs and steps aside for Susan, she gives them hugs and kisses on their foreheads.

"Susan!" Edmund says when she gives him his kiss.

"Stop being so pratty about it, Ed." Peter rolls his eyes.

"Why? You know I hate kisses!" Edmund retorts.

"Do you now?" Peter says with a glint in his eyes, Susan and Lucy realize what is coming before Edmund does.

"Yes!" Edmund says, but then he realizes what he'd said, "Peter Colin Pevensie, don't you dare!" But it's already too late for Peter is running towards him with a grin. Edmund gives a yelp before making a run for it, but Peter had jumped and he tackles Edmund onto the ground. He flips Edmund over and gives him a big, fat kiss on the cheek. Edmund gags and pushes his laughing older brother off of him. "Your payback is going to be so much worse than what I had originally planned, count on it, _Mr. Magnificent_." Edmund glares.

"It was worth it to see the look on your face, Ed." Peter says with a smile as he helps Edmund up.

"You won't be saying that later." Edmund smirks.

"Sires, we must take our leave." Oreius says, a bit of sternness in his voice.

"Sorry, Oreius." Peter smiles apologetically before donning a more serious expression, "Edmund, I want you to stay in the middle."

Edmund looks at him, "Fine." He says.

"Now, I don't care what you say– I'm sorry did you just agree?" Peter stops and looks at Edmund in surprise.

Edmund elaborates, "We're both staying in the middle." When Peter looks as if he's going to protest he says, "Don't argue, I learned from last time that it's the safest place for Kings–even though I'd rather be in front–and that it's the best place to be for reports."

"If I may," Oreius says, cutting off Peter's protest to Edmund, "I agree with King Edmund, it's safer and you'll get reports from both the front and end of the party."

Peter looks at the two of them, "I'm outvoted I see." He sighs, "Come on, Ed. Let's get the horses," He says, he looks at Oreius, "The party is ready to leave, right?"

"They've been ready for the past fifteen minutes, Sire."

"Oh," Peter smiles sheepishly, "Sorry."

"Peter, hurry up!" Edmund calls from on top of Philip.

Peter turns and goes to mount Liam, he's a pure black stallion. Liam isn't a Talking Animal like Philip, he was a present from King Lune for Peter's birthday. King Lune and Queen Cynthia had taken it upon themselves to be their parental figures, marking all four of the Narnian Monarchs' birthdates down on their calendars along with other important events.

"Onward!" Peter says and nobody moves.

"Peter, you're supposed to say where to." Edmund says quietly.

"To Glasswater Creek!" Peter finishes, then everyone starts to move ahead.

"I swear you forget to say where to every time." Edmund mutters.

"Oreius," Susan calls, smiling as Lucy erupts into a fit of giggles, "Don't hurt yourself taking care of those two."

"Experience, Your Highness, experience." Is all that Oreius says before leaving to go to his spot in the front of the party.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Lucy asks Susan when they were out of sight, something she always does so her older brothers wouldn't see her worry.

"I don't know, Lu. Something's wrong, I can feel it." Susan replies.

Lucy looks up at her, "You that feeling we get when we sense one of us is trouble?"

"Like my heart's clenching and dropping into my stomach?"

Lucy nods and says, "Well, I have a feeling we'll be feeling that many times this time." Susan gives her a grim smile before ushering her inside, the two aren't wearing cloaks and it's still cool out.

**...**

Edmund's head drops, his breathing soft and steady as he is asleep within moments.

"Sires, I have a report!" Sprouthorn, a male Faun, says coming from behind them, "Thistlethorn claims that she smelled something similar to a Fell Beast, what do you think we should do?"

Peter's eyes widen, "Similar a Fell Beast? Is she certain that she's smelled one?"

"Completely, Sire." Sprouthorn nods gravely.

"What do you think of this, Edmund?" Peter turns to ask Edmund, seeing his head drooping he asks, "Edmund?" When he doesn't answer Peter feels a small bolt of panic course through him. "Edmund?" He guides Liam over to Philip and Edmund, he reaches over and puts his hand on Edmund's shoulder, "Edmund," he says. Still no answer, he grabs both of Edmund's shoulders, "Edmund!"

"I didn't eat all of the Breakfast Soufflé, Mum!" Edmund exclaims as he wakes up, then he sees the look in Peter's eyes, who had sighed at his outburst, "Bloody hell, Peter! What was is it? You look absolutely batty." Edmund asks.

Peter looks at him sharply, "Remind me to wash your mouth when we stop for camp." Edmund rolls his eyes, "And Sprouthorn reports that Thistlethorn has smelt something similar to a Fell Beast."

Edmund blinks, "Similar to a Fell Beast? Well, there hasn't been word of Fell Beasts in Narnia since we dealt with the ones that had been at Owlwood."

"I remember that day clearly." Peter says looking at Edmund's left shoulder, a meaning behind his words.

"You know I don't regret what I had done that day." Edmund looks at him with something akin to a scowl and a soft smile, two opposites fitting perfectly on his features.

Peter gives him a look, "Anyways, I was asking what you think we should do."

"Maybe there had been more and we hadn't known." Edmund starts, referring to the Killing of Owlwood, "And they've mated with something that their spawn would equal something similar to its birth-givers since Thistlethorn says that it smells similar to one." He says, then, "My advice is that we keep going, but alert everyone of its presence, so that way if it decides to show itself we'll be prepared." He advises.

Peter looks at Sprouthorn and nods, who nods back and goes to RockFlower, a female cheetah, to tell her to tell everyone in the back of the party and then he goes to Icegaze, a male Badger, to tell him to tell everyone in the front of the party.

"What's with you, Ed? Even if you woke up early you wouldn't fall asleep on Philip like that." Peter asks.

"Don't worry so much, Peter." Edmund waves it off, "And if you really want to know so much then I'll let you know," He glares, "It was because you forcefully woke me up, I have a system that wakes me up in the morning, being tickled by co-working siblings is _not_ part of the system."

"In my defense we had to leave early." Peter says with a teasing tone.

"At least I don't become a total beast when I'm woken up by someone," Edmund says, Peter looked at him, "Oh come on, you know it's true, you roar at the pour soul that tries to wake you up. You roared at Lucy when she was six because she had tried to wake you up, I mean really, Peter? _Roaring_, at your _youngest_ sister?" Peter only gives him a sheepish smile.

Then Peter gets a thoughtful look as he recalls something, "I do remember one time when Lucy had tried to wake you,"

"Which one, there's been two-thousand-nine-hundred-seven attempts, feel free to tell me which number, because I only roughly remember fifty-eight-point-fourteen of them." Edmund replies with a smirk.

Peter looks at him, "You seriously keep count? And how did you get point fourteen?" Edmund opens his mouth to explain, the smirk still on his lips, "You know what, forget I even asked." Edmund shrugs.

"Suit yourself." He says.

"Anyways, the morning I recall is the one after the Coronation. Lucy had told me that she had tried waking you up politely, then screaming in your ear, giving you a kiss on the cheek, tickling you, smacking you, ripping off your covers, which had only succeeded in revealing another set of covers underneath those, and apparently she had yanked too hard and you had fallen on the floor… And you had still continued to sleep…" Peter gives him a look when he sees Edmund's look at his words.

"And your point, O' High King?" Edmund asks with a knowing smile.

"Ed, I had to carry you to the Dining Room. You made the castle staff worry and think you were sick because you were wrapped in your covers like a caterpillar in metamorphosis. And you still hadn't woken up when I'd put you in front of Berrypaw's raspberry and cherry bread pudding, it was freshly made, Edmund, _freshly made_." Peter looks at him as if he believed the boy is crazy for being such a stubborn sleeper.

"I'm not getting your point, Peter." Edmund smiles, "But, oh well, let's just continue on our way."

Before Peter can say anything there's a loud, metallic scream of something fervid and menacing. Both Kings look to the skies and see a featherless, but scaled, flying beast, it has the head of a Fell-Beast and the putrid stink of one, but the rest is more Wyvern-like.

"Edmund!" Peter says, "Go to Oreius!"

Edmund's eyes widen, "What the bloody hell are you talking about? I'm staying! You need me to fight this!" He protests.

"Edmund, will you just listen to me for once?" Peter yells through gritted teeth.

"No!"

"Should've known." Peter mutters. Before Edmund can reply the Fell Beast/Wyvern screeches again and swoops down, trying to grab at one of the Narnians.

"Cloudwind!" Edmund exclaims as the said Siberian Tiger gives a yowl of fury when she's scooped up by the beast, "Virges!" The Centaur had made her way to her Kings when word of the beast was given.

She nods and shoots an arrow, the tip is on fire, and it embeds itself into the beast's clawed foot. It shrieks and drops Cloudwind, who lands gracefully on her paws for an animal that had just been dropped from the height of a twenty-story building.

"Never again… Oh Aslan, please never again." She says under her breath.

"Edmund! Watch out!" Peter yells, he tackles Edmund off of Philip as the beast swoops down again, but this time had been aiming for Edmund. "You twit! Pay attention!" Peter shouts at him, worry outlining his angry words.

Edmund looks at him, gives him a hug, and then rolls himself and Peter over as the beast swoops down again.

"Alright, someone give me a bow and a quiver of arrows." Edmund demands. A Faun, his name is Tunkum, hands Edmund his bow and quiver of arrows. "Thank you, Tunkum." He says and nods. He looks at Peter, "Peter, do you still have that Calormenian oil that you almost _died_ to get, you know the one that lights itself if it's touching something that's not adamant or itself?" Edmund asks, giving Peter a look on the word "died".

Peter nods, disregarding Edmund's expression, "You mean the Rokaleesh?" He asks to be sure.

"Yes, now hurry." Edmund urges. Peter reaches into Liam's saddle pouch and grabs the adamant cordial, the top is wide-rimmed so an arrow can easily be dipped in it. "Thank Aslan that I had asked Sue to give me pointers for archery." He mutters as he dips the arrow in and quickly out, drawing the arrow back he yells dramatically, "Die, you putrid not-bird-Wyvern-Fell Beast-thing!" And shoots the arrow, continually dipping the arrows in the Rokaleesh and firing them.

Peter has to smile at that, Edmund knows how to lighten any situation with his quick wit and biting sarcasm, along with his (un)intentional insults that make almost everyone who has a good heart laugh and/or smile.

"Good job, Ed." Peter ruffles Edmund's hair when the beast falls out of the sky and lands on the ground with a great _thud_, "There weren't any casualties or injuries this time."

"Except for the few bruises and scratches we got when you tackled me off of Philip and when I rolled us over, and Cloudwind has a couple of scratches on her from when the putrid not-bird-Wyvern-Fell Beast-thing had snatched her." He says before he calls Cloudwind, "You alright?"

"Yes, Your Highness?" She replies.

Edmund shakes his head at her, "Go get those injuries checked, you cheeky blighter. I know you're injured," He says when she opens her mouth to protest, "I don't want them to get infected, now go, or else I'll put the salve and bandages on myself." If a Siberian Tiger could blush then Cloudwind certainly would've, she bows and goes to Citrine, a half-Dryad and half-dwarf who is good with nursing and tending to injuries.

"You're such a big hypocrite, you know?" Peter says.

Edmund snorts, "In what way?"

"You always know when someone's injured, mentally or physically, and you always call them out on it and send them to someone who can treat the injuries, or you do it yourself." Edmund gave him a look that states, "Get on with it." Peter continues, "But you almost struggle to get away whenever someone even _suggests_ for you to get your physical injuries checked. And the Medical Ward can never keep you for long, you either drive them crazy or escape." Peter shakes his head.

Edmund rolls his eyes, "Last time I checked, there was a certain only-ever-blonde-in-Narnia that had fought with a dislocated shoulder blade and sprained ankle, and when he had been confined to bed for three weeks because he had refused to take Lucy's cordial and he had cut his resting time in half by driving his siblings and doctors to the near point of insanity."

Peter's face flushes but he retorts with a, "Says the boy who had received several bruised ribs, a broken sword-arm, massive loss of blood, and fractured sternum that had somehow escaped from the ground floor Medical Ward to the top story balcony and had been half-unconscious for three hours before he was found by his furious and hair-tearingly worried siblings and doctors. You had taken Lu's cordial when she had broken down crying from worry, but had refused to take it before because you had already taken it eighteen times before that from near-death injuries and you didn't want to keep wasting it." To this Peter looks almost angry.

"Now, let's not talk of the past." Edmund says, sensing a deeper meaning behind Peter's words and an argument waiting for the right moment to erupt.

Peter sighs, "Sometimes I wish that you would just learn how to do as you're told."

Edmund smirks, "But then who would I be, certainly not Edmund Pevensie." He says.

Peter doesn't smile, "If you did what you were told from time to time then I would be a very happy High King who would have a heavy load of worry taken off of his shoulders. Heck, even asking for you to do as you're told once will bother you, won't it?"

"Peter," Edmund says with a frown, "What brought this up?"

Peter sighs, rubbing his temples, "I don't know, Ed."

"You should probably try to get some rest when we get to camp, Peter. You've been working yourself to exhaustion, what with the ensuring that everything must peaceful and whatnot." Edmund says, his voice going slightly soft with the middle part.

"No, Ed. I can't." Peter shakes his head.

"Peter," Edmund starts.

"Don't," Peter raises a hand, silencing him, "Just don't." Edmund sighs, "We keep moving!" Peter tells everyone, no one moves.

"Destination," Edmund says with a fake cough.

"To Glasswater Creek!" Peter finishes.

Everyone continues to move.

'_Peter, you need me you dolt…_' Edmund thinks, '_I need you._' This doesn't surprise Edmund, he knows what he needs and doesn't. Of course he wouldn't admit this thought aloud.

'_Sorry, Ed. I just don't like seeing you hurt, I've already seen you lying on the ground or in bed with injuries too many times to count. It's the reason I try so hard to get you to do as you're told._' Peter thinks.

**...**

"Sires, Sunwing has spotted a clearing up ahead that we can stop at." Virges reports, "It's just across the river. If we camp there for the night then we'll be in the forest of the Dancing Lawn within half the day."

"Very well, we shall set up the camp there for the night." Peter says wearily, he's having an inner turmoil and Edmund doesn't know why, and for that reason he has given his older brother some space.

As camp is being made a couple of Dryads come out of their trees to offer some help and for stories, they always do this when there are traveling Narnians or other people, at least as long as they are friendly.

A particularly eager young Dryad named Felisca comes over to Edmund, "Have you gotten any new stories, King Edmund?" She asks.

Edmund smiles, "Why don't I tell you about the time I…" And there he stood, telling a story of the time that he and Lucy had pranked Peter and Susan with a string, a cooperative Talking Spider, and a bucket of spoiled milk.

"Sire, you must be more careful!" Oreius reprimands the on-the-ground-and-out-of-thought Peter who has tent cloth and tent poles scattered messily on top of him.

Edmund sighs, "I'll go help the High King, maybe I can tell you about the time I was carried to the Dining Room by Peter next time." He says as he walks over to Peter, bending down next to him he smirks, "So let's count how many times you've fallen in this fortnight: one for the time you fell in the bath, two for the time when you were in the stables, three for when you were carrying too many royal documents on the stairs, and four for this time. My, Peter, do you like falling or are you just _that_ clumsy?"

Peter huffs and says, "Just help me up, you twit."

Edmund fakes a wince, "Is that all I am to you? A twit," He asks with mock-hurt, "Well then, this _twit_ doesn't want to help you."

"You wonderful younger brother whom I love and adore and is about to die in the next ten seconds if he doesn't help me, please help me with your oh-so loving and caring assistance for getting me out from under all of this bloody– oh for the love of Aslan, Ed! Just help me out of this!" Peter growls.

"You only needed to ask, my dear brother." Edmund smirks, nimbly pulling aside the tent poles into a neat pile deftly and then carefully grabbing the tent cloth and unwrapping Peter's limbs from them. Peter grabs the tent cloth and folds it before stacking the tent poles on top of it, he's about to stand up when Edmund pulls him down, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Taking this where it belongs so I can set it up." Peter says as if it were obvious.

"No, you aren't. Not with the way that you handled it last, I for one am not gonna help you out of that again." Edmund frowns, he takes the tent items from Peter before he can protest.

"Edmund!"

"Oh hush, Peter, go find something else to help with. You need to get your mind off of your worries." Edmund tells him, giving him a look at the end. Peter sighs and does so, knowing that Edmund is right. "That's a good little High King." Edmund smirks as he begins to walk away.

"Edmund," Peter says, his voice not hinting what he is about to do.

Edmund turns around, "What– Gah, Peter you perverse idiot!" He says when Peter pecks him on the cheek, "Stop doing that!"

Peter just gives him a chuckle as a response and walks away to go help a Faun.

"Sire, the Council Tent has been set up, we would like to discuss some things." Oreius says, coming up to him.

"Okay, go tell Peter, I need to set this up first so I'll be there in a little bit."

"As you wish, Sire." Oreius bows before walking (can a Centaur technically walk?) away.

"Oh, Oreius," Edmund says, biting his lip embarrassedly, "Where does this tent go?" He asks.

Oreius looks at him with a twinkle in his eyes, "You know where Felisca's tree is, do you not?" Edmund nods, "It's next to that tree."

"Thanks, Oreius. Make sure that Peter hasn't worn himself out yet, I may've just seen him about a minute ago, but with him… He always finds a way." Edmund says.

"I know, Sire. I worry sometimes as well." Oreius says before walking(?) away.

...

"The beast we've seen today is the offspring of a Wyvern and a Fell Beast," Oreius says, an inscrutable expression on his face.

"So what shall we call it, beast isn't good enough and I think that putrid not-bird-Wyvern-Fell Beast-thing is tad bit too long." Peter says, giving Edmund a wry look at the end.

Edmund huffs, "It was a perfectly good description and you know it."

"If I may," Virges says, "How about Fellvern?"

"Why it's brilliant, Virges!" Edmund grins.

"Weren't you the one that was just wanting to name it putrid not-bird-Wyvern-Fell Beast-thing?" Peter asks.

Edmund looks at him, "Fellvern, let me say it again, _Fellvern_. You've got to admit, Peter. I know when I'm beaten, I mean Fellvern is bloody good!"

Peter looks at him sharply, "Language, Ed. And yes, that is a good name. Thank you, Virges." He gives the Centaur a nod and a smile.

"'Tis my honor, Sire." She says with a bow.

"Now, about this beast, the Fellvern," Gnomekorr, a Dwarf, starts, "If that was one of many, where do you think the rest are?"

Peter gets an idea, "What if they're the disturbance at Glasswater Creek?"

Oreius nods, having thought the same thing as well.

Edmund shakes his head, "If it were, then someone would have to be in charge of them. And that someone would have to be pretty powerful."

Peter looks at him, "What do you mean, Ed?" He asks.

"Oreius, you said it yourself. There have been murders, some in the most gory of ways. That creature's jaw was big enough to swallow _two Centaurs whole_, and it wouldn't leave any of the… carcass behind. It'd eat _every single bite_, how could there be any evidence of the murder if the evidence was gone? There would _maybe_ be blood, but no gore if the body itself is gone." Edmund feels queasy and slightly nauseas talking about it.

Oreius sees his point and nods, his eyes proud of Edmund for calling out the slight flaw, Peter's the same, but both pairs have worried gleams to them.

"I see," Peter says, a hand on his chin as he looks at the map.

"This threat seems bigger than we had originally thought," Edmund says, his brow creased, "I say we call for a second party, and we continue from tomorrow into the forest of the Dancing Lawn and wait there for them." He says.

"Ed, I don't think we should ask for a second party." Peter says.

Edmund frowns, "Why not?"

"Because we'll be able to handle it." Peter says, still keeping the frustratingly calm expression he's been wearing since Edmund had proposed his theory.

Edmund looks at him incredulously, "No, Peter, we won't. I know, you have full faith in everyone here, as do I. _But we won't be enough_. And from what I've been hearing and so far seeing is that this is turning out to be serious. It's not going to be as simple as, 'Go weed out the good creatures and kill the bad ones.'"

Peter frowns, "Edmund, we are not sending for a second party. And that is final." His tone is still frustratingly calm and inscrutable to Edmund.

"Peter–" Edmund starts.

"I said that it is final, Edmund. _Drop it_." Peter says before turning around and heading for the tent flap, "You're all dismissed."

"That batty, pompous, good-for-nothing, little–" Edmund growls.

"_Sire_," Oreius says sharply, "This is not the time."

Edmund looks at him, "You're not seriously telling me you're on his side, are you?"

Oreius shakes his head, "I'm not on a 'side', but I do think that it is slightly unwise of the High King to regard this matter in this particular way."

"Slightly?" Edmund asks disbelievingly. Oreius gives him another sharp look, "Fine," He raises his hands in surrender, "I'll just go to my tent." He scowls and adroitly storms to his tent. He always unknowingly does everything with agile grace, he's been born with it. Unlike Peter, who is broad and noble, headstrong. Both brothers have good, dare one say great, qualities, and the differences between Peter and Edmund is what makes them so perfect for balancing out the other. While Edmund tends to Peter's stratagem and, for example, getting him out of a tent mess, Peter tends to Edmund's need of comfort and becomes a pillar of support.

When Edmund goes inside he sees Peter already in his hammock, his day-clothes still on.

'_Batty idiot,_' Edmund scowls, but goes over to Peter. He takes off his brother's sword-belt, the sword still attached, and puts it on the head string of the hammock so Peter can reach it should he need it, and then he takes the covers nestled at Peter's feet and drapes it across his body.

"Mm," Peter breaths softly when Edmund brushes his hand against his forehead.

'_His forehead's warm,_' Edmund thinks with a frown, '_Citrine specializes with injuries, so I'd best get her sister, Selene, the one who does sickness, to check him tomorrow._'

"You're so daft, you know that, Peter?" Edmund says softly, leaning down he brushes his lips against Peter's forehead. An action he'd never dare do in public, he hated physical contact, and he hated it even more now, because of… But for now, Peter had deserved the kiss.

Turning around he unclasps his cloak, takes off his sword and sword-belt and puts it on his head string of his hammock, lifts his crown off of his head and places it on his cloak, he slips off his tunic and puts it under his crown, he unlaces his leather laces and pulls off his trousers, and then puts on the silver Narnian night-shirt that goes down to his mid-calves. He then climbs into his hammock and pulls his covers over him.

'_I hope we can prevent the Fall Fever before it develops into something serious,_' Edmund thinks, his eyes focused on Peter's sleeping form, '_The idiot's been working himself too hard to actually get a proper rest. I guess I'll deal with him in the morning._' He thinks sleepily, his eyes drifting shut as blissful sleep overtakes him.

**...**

"King Edmund, King Edmund! You must wake up!" A loud voice brings Edmund into wakefulness.

"You are clearly new to camping with King Edmund, aren't you?" Edmund asked, not doing anything but blearily opening his eyes, "Whatever it is you can tell Peter." He yawns, preparing to go back to sleep.

"But that just it, High King Peter is missing!" The Narnian cries.

* * *

><p><strong>No, this is not Pedmund (PeterEdmund), otherwise I would've put the fic's second character as Peter. I'm a Casmund (Caspian/Edmund) lover, and since this is the Golden Age, Caspian will not be in this fic (sadly). Anyways, the closest you'll get to incest is sibling-love, no romantic kissing or sex or anything. Just pure sibling-love.**

**And for all of you fellow Casmund lovers I've found the darkest little video on YouTube. It's called Nightmare [Caspian/Edmund]. So basically Caspian kills Edmund in a bout of jealousy and it shows Caspian remembering the memories between him and Edmund, and Edmund himself. And he basically regrets it, the video has clips from _The Chronicles of Narnia_ movies and from _Dorian Gray_. I'm thinking of making a fiction for it, anyways, Casmund lovers take a look at it, it's AWE-SOME!**

**Have an AWESOMESAUCE day!**

**Serena-loves-Angst**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, I know this is pretty soon for me to be updating, but I've got so much for this fic, it's amazing! And by the way, Edmund's font is Viner Hand ITC for his letter and the stitching on the napkin, Susan's font for her letter is Edwardian Script ITC and Lucy's signature is in Gigi. The story editor won't let me show the fonts but it's supposed to represent their different writing styles.**

**I've gotten two reviews within 24 hours of posting this fic, that's a record for me!**

**A special thanks and imaginary cookie to:**

**kazuko59**

**and**

**CrazyDyslexicNerd**

**Without further adieu,**

**Read, Enjoy, and Review!**

* * *

><p><span>King Edmund's Case:<span>

The Mysterious Death of Lord Cane

Chapter 2: The Search, the Attack, the Lord, and the Coincidental Disappearance of his Brother

"What!" Edmund growls, "What the bloody hell did you just say?" The Narnian, a male Faun, pales considerably and is too scared to reply. "Answer me!" Edmund barks.

The Faun flinches and stutters, "High K–King Peter is missing!"

Edmund, too angry at himself and the situation and being successfully woken up to realize that the poor Faun will probably soil himself soon, asks sharply, "How?"

The Faun jumps, startled, but answers, "H–High King Peter had left in the middle of the night and told the nightwatch that he was going for a walk, it was a couple minutes before the nightwatch had to switch so she had told the next one to keep an eye out for him. B–But that's just it, High King Peter never came back!"

Edmund looks at him, "I can kind of tell he didn't come back or else we wouldn't be in this situation now would we?" He snaps.

The Faun flinches, "I'm s–sorry, Majesty." Not being able to take it anymore the Faun soils himself and faints.

Edmund sighs, realizing what he had been doing to the poor Faun the whole time, "No, I'm sorry." He said to the unconscious Faun, he steps out of the tent, "Hey, Tunkum, I may have accidentally made one of your Fauns soil himself and faint, can you possibly make sure he's okay?" Edmund asks when he sees the Faun, Tunkum is in charge of the Fauns.

Tunkum sighs, "Let me guess, he woke you up," Edmund nods, "Told you about High King Peter before you could fully understand what was going on and you snapped at him a lot?" Edmund nods again, "I think I know who this Faun is," Edmund looks at him curiously as he moves aside so Tunkum can come in, "Oh, Tankum!" He groans.

"I'm guessing you're related," Edmund speculates.

Tunkum nods, "He's my little brother, good heart, he's just extremely nervous and fidgety from a near-death experience." He says softly.

Edmund looks at him, "I'm sorry, I didn't know, and I can be beastly in the morning. Not as beastly as Peter, but still beastly." He says.

Tunkum shakes his head, "No, I'm sorry. I should've come to tell you myself." Picking his little brother up Tunkum says, "I'll get someone to clean up the spot later."

Edmund looks at him, "Leave it, it's just grass. It'll be good fertilizer." He says, Tunkum looks at him with a confused expression, "It's used where I come from, it contains the dung of animals and other minerals to help plants and grasses grow." Edmund explains.

"It's good to know that my brothers… soil will help grow plants and grasses?" Tunkum says, the sentence more of a question than a statement, before leaving.

Edmund sighs before slipping off his night-shirt and pulling on brown trousers that he tightens with leather laces and then puts on his boots.

As he shuffles through his satchel for his blue tunic with brown undertones Selene walks in.

"Your Majesty, Oreius– oh!" She yelps, blushing as she sees Edmund half-naked.

Edmund jumps at the sound of the yelp, "What is it? What's wrong?" He asks, reaching for his sword.

"No, no, Sire. It's not that!" She blushes even harder, not being able to take her eyes off of Edmund's chest and packed-in abs. One must not be fooled, Edmund is lithe and has muscle, it's just very packed-in. '_That's very… attractive. I must tell Citrine about this!_' She thinks.

"What's wrong then?" Edmund asks, not getting what she had yelped for. Then he noticed that Selene is staring at him rather intently, like a schoolgirl that has a crush on a classmate. Then he realized, not knowing whether to blush or smirk he clears his throat, "So, what do you need?" He asks.

She snaps out of her daze, "Oh, s–sorry. Oreius has gathered the War Council," She says.

"What!" He exclaims, without waiting for an answer he turns and searches for his tunic with a renewed vigor, finding it with a triumphant cry he hastily pulls it on and haphazardly runs a hand through his hair and almost flings his crown onto his head before grabbing his sword-belt and starts tying it as he walks past a madly blushing Selene.

He finally finishes putting his sword-belt on when he walks into the Council Tent, although, he feels that something is off.

He sees Cloudwind purr amusedly and Virges smile before coming over to him, she untied his sword-belt, which had been on backwards, and puts it on the right way, then she adjusts his crown, which is leaning quite precariously on his head.

Flushing he coughs awkwardly, "Thanks, Virges."

"You're welcome, Sire." She bows before going back to her spot.

"I'm guessing that you were half-dressed when Selene came to get you and she started staring before she told you that the Council was waiting, didn't she?" Tunkum asks.

Edmund nods, "How do you know these things?"

Tunkum smiles, "I know the Tankum part because he's my little brother, and Selene is Citrine's little sister and Citrine and I are lovers."

"Ah, I see." Edmund says, silently begging to Aslan that the situation would not get awkward.

"Sire," Oreius says, "We must make a decision and then devise a plan according to it."

Edmund looks at him, "We search for Peter and if he's not in the area then we continue to Glasswater Creek whilst keeping up the search." He says.

Oreius nods, "Do you want to send for a second party?" He asks.

Edmund's eyes darken, "No, even in the absence of the High King I will abide by his decision, liking it or not."

Oreius nods, pride glimmering in his eyes for a moment before asking, "What do you think has happened and what would you like to do for the search, Sire?"

"Peter has most likely been kidnapped, and I fear he wasn't in the best of health either. His mind was plagued with worry and turmoil for many reasons unknown to me and he probably has a high fever by now, I had felt his forehead the night before and he had Fall Fever." He explains at the curious looks. The looks quickly turned into worry, apprehension, and determination to get their High King back. "First of all, we ask the Dryads if they had seen anything. And we also ask the Naiads to look up and downriver for signs of Peter or a camp, maybe a group."

"Understood, and what of the search groups, Sire?" Oreius asks.

"There are currently twenty-seven of us, so two groups of nine each will search and the other nine will stay at camp. The search will end at mid-afternoon, no longer." Edmund looks slightly pained at this but he continues, "We'll pack up and set out if we can't find him by then." Oreius nods, "Oreius, you will be in charge of watching the ones staying here." He nods, "Virges, you'll take your group upriver, we'll be going downriver so it'd be wiser to search where we've already been." She nods, "And I'll take my group to search in the woods."

Oreius frowns, "Sire, I don't think you should search."

Edmund's eyes blazed with something livid, but he asks calmly, "Why not, Oreius?"

Oreius, used to having the anger of one of his Kings on him from experience, answers, "If High King Peter was kidnapped, than that means that you'll be in danger as well. It would be wiser and safer for you to stay at camp."

"Oreius, you know I can't just sit idly by and leave you to search. I _will_ look for my brother like it or not." Edmund says, a hint of a growl creeping into his voice. It clearly says, "_My safety be damned! I _need_ to find my brother!_"

Oreius kept his frown, "And you will search for your brother, just not _now_." He says, his tone slightly soft but still stern. "Why don't I take the search party into the woods and you stay and be in charge of the ones in camp?" Edmund still has a fire in his eyes, but he nods.

"Alright, I'll write a letter to my sisters to explain what's happened." Edmund says before walking to the tent flap, "You're all dismissed to get into your groups, and if you're Oreius or Virges then go pick your group members." He then walks out.

**...**

"_Dear Sue and Lu,_

_I have grave news, Peter's gone missing. He had gone out for a late night walk and had never come back. I think that he may have been kidnapped, considering the state he was in. His mind was clouded and he had the start of a Fall Fever, I was going to get Selene to check it the next morning, but… as you know, Peter never came back. Do not send for a second party… we won't need it. And don't come down here yourselves, I'm sure we'll find him soon enough and take care of the disturbance by Glasswater Creek soon enough._

_And Sue, don't over-coddle Lu. And don't deny it, you always do this to one of us when you're worried for one or two of us. Please just continue looking after the castle and Lu and Narnia while we find Peter. And don't worry, he'll be getting more than an earful from me when we find him, but you can still scold/yell at him when we get back._

_Lu, now I know that you haven't wanted me to notice, but don't worry. I'd overheard you and Susan talking one time, and I haven't told Peter yet. He has enough on mind. But I want to let you know that I and Peter will be fine._

_I love you both… it's strange isn't it? I can always tell I love you in letters but I always have a hard time in words, don't I? But I guess I shouldn't dwell on this for too long, or else when we find Peter he'll probably say, 'Were you in the magical land of Ed-Mind again?'_

_Anyways, don't over-coddle and don't worry. Love you both, and pray to Aslan that when I find our idiotic, perverse (he's kissed me on my cheek two times too many), cheeky, and overly noble, older brother that I don't go ballistic and accidentally kill him in a worry-induced rage._

_P.S,_

_I think that Selene has a fancy for me now. She walked in on me half-naked. Sue, don't be surprised if that within the few months I get a couple more suitors than you do. What with the way Selene spreads gossip._

_From your worried and more-than-likely-to-kill-Peter brother,_

_Eddy-mund Pevensie_" Lucy stops reading the letter, feeling wetness in her eyes at the "Eddy-mund". Edmund only puts his name as that when he's worried and doesn't want his siblings to worry.

"Lucy…" Susan whispers softly, kissing her tears away, "We have to believe in Edmund, he'll find Peter."

"Susan," Lucy hiccups, "Are you worried?" She quivers.

Susan looks at her, "Of course I'm worried."

Lucy shakes her head, a weak smile on her lips, "No, about Edmund getting more suitors than you."

Susan smiles back playfully, "That's just his mind gone smug from having a girl ogle while half-naked, so no, I'm not worried."

Lucy giggled wetly, "You are worried." She sniffs.

Susan's smile drops slightly, "How do you do it, Lu?" She asks softly, reaching over and hugging her.

"I believe, and I try to keep my faith stronger than my worry." Lucy replies, a few tears leaking out.

Susan takes a deep breath, "Come, let's go for a ride on our mares. They won't miss us for long." She smiles.

Lucy looks at her in surprise, "But, Susan, that's so Edmund-like!" Susan's smile doesn't waver but she says,

"I can be fun when I want to, now come on, the sooner we go the longer we can ride for. But we have to be back before noon."

Lucy grins and nods, drying her eyes.

"Then we'll write a letter back to Edmund after we get back, right?" She asks.

Susan nods, "We will."

**...**

"_Dear Ed,_

_I do not over-coddle, as you call it, and Lucy can't help but worry. And it is strange as to how easily you can say you love us in a letter, but it's alright, you're you. And you being you should stop eavesdropping on people's conversations, it's going to get you in serious trouble one day. And we have faith that you'll find our idiotic, perverse, cheeky, and overly noble, older brother. Just don't kill him, and he kissed you on the cheek a second time after you two left, didn't he? Anyways, be safe. And I don't believe that you'll get more suitors than me in the next few months. And I will trust that Oreius will restrain you from killing Peter, well, Oreius and a couple of other Narnians. Because, it's going to take more than even Oreius to hold you at bay. Peter and I aren't the only mother hens in this sibling-square. Lu and I are extremely grateful for the napkins, and I have said this before and I will say it again: They are not keepsakes._

_We love you dearly and wish you and Peter, wherever he is, safety. May Aslan guide and protect you all._

_Love,_

_Your not overly-coddling sister, Sue_

_and worrying sister, Lu_" Edmund finishes reading, a small smile on his lips. Lucy has the worst handwriting out of all the siblings, Susan's being the best, Peter's next, and Edmund's just barely fitting the description of Kingly Calligraphy. "Thank you, Sunwing." He says to the Falcon. He nods and is about to go scout ahead when Edmund stops him, "Oh no you don't, you've traveled from here to Cair Paravel and back without rest. You don't need to scout just yet, take a rest."

Sunwing protests, "But, Your Majesty, I can't, I'm needed! And I have nowhere to rest, we're moving so I can't stop and rest on a branch."

Edmund smirks, "Well, there's a nice and comfortable shoulder waiting for you. It's right here," He gestures to his right shoulder. Sunwing looks like he's going to protest, "You know how I can get, Sunwing. Now, you can either get on my shoulder and rest willingly, or else I'll bind your wings and strap your feet onto my shoulder. I'm serious about you resting." Edmund says warningly. Sunwing looks extremely uncomfortable but settles himself onto Edmund's shoulder, too stiffly for Edmund's liking. "How are you supposed to rest when you're as straight as an arrow, you batty piece of cheek?" He teases. Sunwing stiffens again but forces himself to relax and within a number of seconds is softly inhaling and exhaling, sound asleep. '_As he should be._' Edmund thinks.

He recalls what had happened before they left camp.

**...**

"_King Edmund!" A voice shouts as it bursts through the tent flap._

"_What is it? Did you find Peter?" He asks, trying hard to keep his voice even._

_The Narnian, Tunkum, shakes his head, Edmund does his best to not scream, "But we found this." He takes out an average-looking napkin, it has messy silver embroidery on it._

"_That's–" Edmund gasps, immediately rushing over to Tunkum, who hands it to him._

"_Someone must've kidnapped Peter, he would never leave this behind." Edmund growls, looking ready to rip apart the person (there are humans in the surrounding countries) and/or thing that had taken his older brother._

"_Sire, if I may be as so bold as to ask, what meaning does the napkin hold?" Tunkum asks carefully._

"Never forget that I love you and need you, you're the Sun to my Moon

-Eddy-mund Pevensie_" Edmund quotes softly, eyes locked on the napkin, "When Susan helped me improve my archery she had said that she wanted payment, and that payment was making three napkins, One each for her, Lucy, and Peter. I didn't know then why she had wanted me to make them, but I found out later. I've come close to death a lot, and she wanted herself and the other two have a message from me. If it ever came to me actually dying, well, they'd have a keepsake. But that's just me talking with the keepsake part, I know that Sue refuses to believe that that will ever happen. She just wants something to keep herself and the other two grounded. Hopeful in dark times." Edmund replies, an inscrutable yet deep expression on his face._

_Tunkum nods, "I understand, Sire."_

_Edmund looks at him, "Do you?"_

_Tunkum nods, knowing the reason behind Edmund's question, not offended in the least._

"_Citrine taught me how to make a ring out of amber, it doesn't have an engraving on it, but it's enough for Tankum. At least, that's what he says." Tunkum looks slightly embarrassed._

_Edmund laughs lightly, "I'm sure it is, Tunkum."_

_..._

Edmund smiles at the memory, but it fades when he looks at Peter's napkin in his left hand, being careful not to wake Sunwing up, he moves his the napkin up and presses it against his face. It's scent is of powder, cinnamon, and strangely, but unsurprisingly, fresh oak.

'_Peter,_' Edmund thinks as he lowers his hand.

Most of the party is determined, worried, and angry. Determined to rescue their High King, worried for their High King's condition and Edmund's as well, and anger at the things that took High King Peter for not only taking him, but for putting Edmund in his inner battle of emotions.

But not all share these thoughts, for there's two traitors in their midst. Two traitors who aren't what they seem, and those two traitors have their target set in their sights: King Edmund the Just, a.k.a the sleuth King. That's right, Edmund is Narnia's best and only detective, he's nosy and always getting the job done. But this side of him only comes out for certain situations. And these two traitors have the job of making sure that this side will never come out again, and no, they don't know any details about the kidnapping of High King Peter, nor do they care. All it means to them is, Edmund is vulnerable and very open, and maybe even unsuspecting, for assassination.

**...**

It was close to dusk and Sunwing had woken up close to sundown and had, much to Edmund's protest, gone to relieve another Talking Bird of their scouting position.

And it was at this time that Sunwing's urgent call rang through the whole party, "They're over double our numbers, all beasts and hags and creatures, and they're heading this way to attack!"

Edmund feels worry for his party and… excitement. He's been looking for a way to vent all of his inner turmoil, and this situation is going to help him do just that.

Within five minutes the attackers had met head-on with Edmund's party, within five minutes all hell broke loose.

Edmund had been tackled off of Philip by a Werewolf and is now fighting the beast, nimbly avoiding getting bitten and his sword and the wolf's teeth clash more than once.

"Man-flesh…" It growls, Edmund wrinkles his nose.

"Nice to know I'm a delicacy in Narnia," He mutters, swinging his sword from the left with a hard accuracy that the sword didn't stop it's strike until it hit the bone of the Werewolf's sternum. It gave a long howl before slumping, not collapsing because Edmund's sword is holding it up. Edmund slides his sword out and the Werewolf falls to the ground with a small _thud_.

Edmund turns around when hears three more howls come from three even _bigger_ Werewolves.

"Man-flesh kill pup…" The biggest one growls.

Edmund gets a look of disbelief and exasperation in his eyes, "Really, a bloody Werewolf family?" He groans.

The Werewolf jumps at him, tackling him to the ground, Edmund's head impacts with a sickening _thud_, ignoring the mini-stars and Minotaurs that are singing a happy song around his head he kicks the Werewolf off with a rush of adrenaline. Quickly getting to his feet he has his sword up and ready.

"King Edmund, watch out!" A Narnian yells.

Edmund barely has time to turn around before he's picked up by a Fellvern.

"You've got to be bloody kidding me!" He near-screams with frustration, struggling to get out of the Fellvern's grasp, but it only succeeded in making the Fellvern's claws dig in into his sides more, "And Cloudwind had said she was fine!" He gasps in slight pain. He looks down at the Werewolves that are howling, "I'm not sure if this situation is better or not." The Fellvern screeches and gnashes its jaws in hunger. Edmund's eyes widen, "This is not better… This is not better… This is not better!" He then remembers that Peter had given him the Rokaleesh before, saying that he had a second bottle. Edmund's eyes had flashed then, wondering how much he had gone through to get the second bottle.

He reaches for the bottle, for it's in his boot, and he winces as the claws dig in deeper. He tears a piece of his tunic off then grabbing the bottle he yanks the adamant cork open, for its attached to the bottle, and then he dips the tunic strip in and throws it upward. Which hits the chest of the Fellvern before burning up completely, it gives a might screech/roar and instantly let's go of Edmund.

He then feels two pairs of claws grab his shoulders and slow his fall until he's safely onto the ground, "Are you alright, Your Majesty?" Sunwing asks.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Sunwing, Moonfeather. I owe you two." Edmund replies, ignoring the painful stinging in his sides flare whenever he talks.

Sunwing shakes his head, "It was I who had owed you, Sire. For making me rest and be prepared."

Moonfeather nods, "And I am alive because of you, you had saved me from those retched Galmans when they had shot me down on a hunting expedition." She says, gratefulness in her eyes, "And, there is no reason to use favors as an excuse to save you, My King, it is our duty."

Sunwing adds in here, "And Sire is light for his size, if it were High King Peter I fear we may have gotten him to the ground a little less gracefully and safely." He says hinting at Edmund's weight, implying that Edmund should gain some.

Edmund groans, "Susan put you up to this, didn't she?" They just look at him innocently, well, as innocent as a bird can look, "I can't help it if I have a high metabolism rate!"

"Sire! None have been killed yet, but many have been injured severely! We must fall back!" Tunkum shouts from where he's fighting a Minotaur.

Edmund sees all of his fallen, but breathing, fellow Narnians. He knows the pain they must be in, for he has been there himself many more times than he'd like to admit.

"Man-flesh!" A Werewolf howls.

Edmund sees a group of Humans start attacking the creatures, and others picking up the fallen Narnians and getting them somewhere safe. The creatures still alive retreat, growling and snarling and screeching threats in their language.

"Lord Dar!" Edmund exclaims when he sees the Archenlander Lord. The man is truly like a father to him, even more so than King Lune. King Lune to Edmund is more of a close and jolly uncle, an uncle but close.

"King Edmund," Dar smiles when he sees the boy, coming over.

Edmund gives him a glare, "How many times have I told you and the other lords and King Lune to call me Edmund?"

Dar smiles sheepishly, "Fifty-seven and counting."

Edmund nods, "So stop 'accidentally' forgetting."

Dar smiles, "As long as you call me Lord Dar I shall call you King Edmund."

Edmund shakes his head, feeling a bit of dizziness.

"Oh my," is all Edmund says before fainting.

**...**

"This is the second time in three days, is it healthy?" Edmund asks himself as he sits up, wincing as his sides bite at him. "Bloody Fellvern," He mutters, then he feels a small ringing in his ears and his head pounds every time he moves it, "Bloody Werewolf."

Getting out of the hammock he sees clean white bandages wrapped around his sides, sighing when he feels wrappings around his head as well. He looks around for a tunic, seeing his satchel he reaches in and mutters something when he sees his torn and bloody blue tunic, he continues searching and finds a white shirt. Putting it on and buttoning it up he leaves the tent.

"Sire! You shouldn't be up!" Tunkum says, seeing him.

Edmund shakes his head, "No, it's fine. Just tell me where the wounded are being kept."

Tunkum sighs, "It's the tent that has a blue lily on it."

Edmund nods, "Thanks, Tunkum." He starts to walk away, "And, Tunkum," He says, "If it makes it any better, I won't tell who directed me to the tent, I've always been good with direction, I'll just use that as an excuse." He gives him a sly smile and a wink before walking away.

Tunkum smiles back and continues what he had been doing before. Edmund finds the tent and walks inside, "King Edmund! You shouldn't be in here!" Citrine looks at him reprimands.

Edmund puts a finger to his lips, "Sh, I'm the ghost of helping the injured, once I'm done I disappear." He grins.

Citrine sighs, all four of the Pevensie siblings would assist with helping the wounded. But only Peter and Edmund would attempt to help when they were injured themselves, and both have their unique ways of helping.

"Fine, why don't you help with applying the herbal salve and bandages for the wounded in the back, Sire." She says.

Edmund looks at her firmly, "I am not a Sire, I am a ghost." He says sternly before making his way to the back. There he helped and cracked jokes until the job was done, then Citrine took him to his tent and changed his bandages and reapplied the salve and sent him to bed.

It was then that Edmund slept, and it is now that Edmund is awoken by a soft noise. Quick as lightning he reaches sword, Lunami. He had found it on the day of the Battle of Beruna, there had been a note that had said that it was sorry for missing him from Father Christmas. Edmund's second gift had been a necklace with a silver scale on it, that necklace has gotten Edmund through many dark times when his siblings couldn't have been there for him.

"Don't move," A voice hisses.

"What– mmph!" He starts when a cloth is wound around his mouth. Not one to be weak he grabs Lunami and slashes at his attacker, he yanks the cloth off, for it had not been properly tied. "Who are you and what do you want?" He growls, then he realizes something, "Are you the one who took Peter, because if you are then I swear–"

A second voice comes in, "No, and we don't care. All we know is that we're supposed to assassinate you."

Edmund feels slight surprise, "Who sent you?"

"A certain Telmarine Lord who you had jailed years ago is now out, and he wants revenge."

"Lord Taabardeesh?" Edmund feels shock that the Lord is already out of jail. He then feels his body start to immobilize from his toes up, "What is this?" He growls.

"We were hoping the drug would have worked faster, but you tore off the gag before that was possible." The first says, a hint of smugness for the drug but there is more annoyance that is directed at Edmund.

Edmund's legs give out from underneath him, "You will not be getting away with this, for I will personally hang you from your entrails and starve you and then slowly carve profanities into your skin– mmph!" He growls again when the first figure ties the gag on again, this time much tighter.

"Can't have you making a ruckus and waking up the whole camp, now can we?" The second figure says with a nasty chuckle, Edmund glares at the two figures. The first figure binds his hands and feet.

"Even though the drug is in effect gotta take precautions," The first figure says with a chuckle, patting Edmund's cheek.

'_When I get out of this and I find out who this is I swear by Aslan…_' Edmund thinks, purposely letting the thought go unfinished.

The two figures drape a cover over Edmund, then they pick him up and leave the tent.

Edmund hears a voice ask, "Where are you going, Tankum and Selene? And what's that under the covers?"

'_Tankum and Selene!_' Edmund thinks in shock.

Tankum answers, "T–Tunkum has passed, we're going to bury him." His voice sounding sorrowful.

The voice speaks again, and this time Edmund recognizes it as Cloudwind, "Oh, I'm so sorry. Go ahead, I'll tell the next watch to keep an eye out for you. May Aslan guide Tunkum to His country."

Edmund wants to make a sound or even move, but he can't because of the drug.

"Tunkum's not dead! I'm the one under the cover! Tankum and Selene aren't with us, they're assassins! Get Oreius!" He wants to shout, but can't.

After walking for a little bit Tankum and Selene stop, and they throw Edmund against a tree, the cover flying off of his body and his head thudded against the trunk, he feels the blinding pain come back.

'_Two concussions in one day, definitely not good for my health._' Edmund thinks.

"Mmph (Why)?" Edmund asks, his question muffled by the gag. And he wishes to Aslan that he can at least regain his right to speak.

"Tunkum and Citrine never told you, did they?" Tankum asks.

"Mmphd mphe mph (Told me what)?" Edmund asks, cursing the gag and drug.

"It's not fitting of a King to mumble, Your Majesty." Tankum smirks, and Edmund glares at him.

"When we were babies we had been playmates, and one day our mothers had had a picnic close to the border and had turned their backs on us for a few minutes and a couple of Calormenes had taken us, from there Lord Taabardeesh bought us and trained us as assassins as we grew up, he hates Narnia with more of an action-involved passion than most Calormenes." Selene starts explaining.

"Mphly, mmph mmphned mmped mpht (Really, I hadn't noticed that)." Edmund rolls his eyes.

"Quiet!" Selene hisses, "Anyways, when you put him in jail we got him out, he sent us back a month ago with the mission to assassinate you, we met our older siblings and had assumed roles of terrified yet glad to be back younger siblings." She finishes.

"Mpht mphy, mpht myou mphd mo me mphk mo mphre myou mphm mphfrom (But why, aren't you glad to be back to where you come from)?" Edmund looks genuinely confused.

Tankum, somehow understanding him, answers, "He's the one who raised us, treated us well. And our mothers were idiots for going that close to the border, and our siblings may've just gotten us back but we feel no love for them. The only love we have is for each other, Lord Taabardeesh, Calormene, and the great Tisroc–may he live forever."

Selene shakes her head, "This is enough talk, we must dispose of you and depart for Calormene. The camp must've realized what happened by now."

Tankum and Selene pick Edmund up and make their way to the river, "Goodbye, King Edmund." They sneer before throwing him into the river.

"Mmph!" Edmund growls at them before he falls into the icy river. '_Oh Aslan, is this the end? Is this what you had meant for me? Will I ever see Peter, Sue, and Lu again? What of Mum… and Dad?_' He thinks, feeling even more numbness seep into his core, '_No! What am I thinking? When did I become this depressed?_'

"_Come, my little King. I've been waiting for you…_" A voice whispers in his ear and Edmund feels his movement come back, for the drug has seeped through the gag and his body because of the water and… he doesn't want to go to where _she's_ waiting. He tries to reach his feet and untie the knot, he succeeds but he feels the water's coldness stiffening his movement when he starts to swim up, and he's rapidly running out of air. It's then that he feels someone wrap an arm around his middle and starts bringing them to the surface.

When they surface Edmund takes in as much air as he can through the gag, the person, Dar, swims to the shore doing his best to gently drag Edmund onto shore.

"Mmph mou (Thank you)." Edmund did his best to say through the gag.

Dar presses his lips together into a fine line, "Why don't we get you out of those bindings." He says. He unties the bindings on his hands and then takes off of the gag, Edmund opens his mouth to say something but he goes into a coughing fit, "Easy now, you're safe." Dar says soothingly.

Edmund's coughs ease up, "Thank you, I owe you for this Lord Dar. You've saved my life, I'm afraid to say this is the fifteenth time you've had to." He says.

Dar shakes his head, "No, I'm just sorry we didn't get here sooner." He gives him a small smile, "And that you're prone to getting into danger and trouble a lot." Edmund gives him a grin in response.

"Sire, are you alright?" Oreius comes up to them.

"I'm fine, perfectly fine." Edmund assures him, trying his best to hide his wince as his sides flare, he looks down and regrets the action immediately. The first reason being that the wounds had opened up and were now bleeding through the bandages, the second being that his head felt as if a clan of mini-dwarves are mining for coal in his head. Then he sneezes and it feels as if a bomb had gone off in his head. His legs feel wobbly and Dar supports him before he can collapse.

"I'm taking that as a 'no'." Oreius says, a small hint of amusement in his eyes, but there's more worry and anger in them than amusement.

"But– achoo!" He sneezes again.

"Why don't we get you warmed up, and in bed." Dar says, looking at Oreius, there's a message passed between the two.

"Hey, what are you two *sneeze* telepathically talking about?" Edmund asks, a little nervously, knowing what is coming.

Oreius bends down and picks Edmund up, "Do not argue, Sire." He says when Edmund opens his mouth to protest, "You aren't capable of walking and Lord Dar is slightly incapable of carrying you at the moment." A Faun comes and gives Dar a towel, then gives Oreius one for Edmund.

"But I–" Edmund starts, then stops as he coughs. Then he lifts a hand to his head to try to ease the pounding.

"Is this proof enough, Sire?" Oreius asks patiently, Edmund nods, feeling too disoriented at the moment to argue.

It's now that Edmund's concussion starts talking, "M'Susan, can you see the purple Minotaurs? They're singing a happy song while floating around your head." He giggles.

Oreius frowns, Peter had always said that he hated it when Edmund got concussions, and now he got the feeling he knew why. For the boy is delusional enough to think that he is his older sister.

"Sire, I am Oreius, your General. I do not have purple Minotaurs floating around my head and they are not singing a happy song." Oreius says patiently.

Edmund squinted then he giggles again, "My mistake, sorry, Susan! They're pink, not purple." He fixes his mistake.

"Sire," Oreius starts.

Edmund puts a finger to his lips, signaling to be quiet, "Sh, I want to listen to their singing. It's so high-pitched." Edmund gasps in amazement.

"Sire," Oreius starts, wanting to try again.

Edmund shakes his head, then winces, "Ow," He groans, "Susan, will you kiss it better like you always do?"

"Sire, I am not Queen Susan." Oreius says, internally feeling horror at the prospect of kissing Edmund's forehead.

Edmund frowns, "But Susan, please? It really hurts!"

Oreius thanked Aslan many times over when Edmund's tent came into sight at that moment.

"Susan, I–" Edmund doesn't finish because at that moment he falls into a dead sleep.

Oreius looks at him, then looks at Dar, who has been smiling in amusement the whole time.

"Not a word," Is all Oreius says before walking(?) inside the tent.

Dar just grins, "About what? The part where he thought you were Susan, the part with the Minotaurs, or the part with the kissing?" He asks cheekily before walking in the tent.

"Susan, kiss it better!"

Oh, this is gonna be a _long_ night, Oreius thinks.

**...**

"I'm starting to worry for my health." Edmund mutters as he blinks his eyes open.

"I am too, Sire." Oreius says from beside his hammock.

"You finally woke up, Susan and I had quite the ball last night taking care of you." Dar chuckles, Oreius gives him a sharp look.

"Susan's here?" Edmund asks, confused.

Oreius shakes his head, "Susan's not here and never was, Sire." He says.

"Then why–" Edmund starts.

"Sire, there are just some things that are better left unknown." Oreius says.

Edmund recalls his recent discovery of his lost virginity and his eyes flash, "Yes, you're quite right."

Oreius and Dar look at him curiously, not knowing what had caused that reaction.

Edmund waves them off, "It's nothing, and I've been curious," Edmund looks at Dar, "Why are you in the forest of the Dancing Lawn? Is something wrong?"

Dar looks at sadly and sighs, "My brother, Lord Darrin, had heard of some kind of disturbance near Stormness Head and had left to go investigate. That was a little over a month ago, we haven't gotten word from him or his party since they'd left."

Edmund looks at him, "Isn't Stormness Head near Glasswater Creek?" Oreius nods, "You don't think…"

Oreius nods, "Yes, Sire. It might be connected."

Dar looks at them confusedly, "What are you talking about?"

"We had heard of a disturbance near Glasswater Creek, murders and disappearances. Peter and I were the ones who had left to investigate. On our first day out, we discovered a new type of beast, the offspring of a Fell Beast and a Wyvern, we've named it's species Fellvern. Putrid not-bird-Fell Beast-Wyvern-thing was just a tad bit too long." Edmund smiles sheepishly.

"I'm guessing you made up the name yourself." Dar observes.

Edmund scowls, "Do you want me to tell you or not?" Dar puts his hands up in surrender, "Anyways, we had a small disagreement. And he'd been working himself so hard that he'd completely disregarded his health and had gotten the start of a Fall Fever, I was going to get Selene to check him in the morning." Edmund let out a bitter chuckle, "I'd never trust her or Tankum near a Narnian now, let alone Peter. So anyways, he'd apparently gone out for a walk and had never come back. We're almost completely sure he's been kidnapped. We're still on our way to Glasswater Creek, but we're still searching for Peter." Edmund finishes.

"Well, since both of our brothers are missing, and there seems to be something about Glasswater Creek and Stormness Head, why don't we travel together?" Dar proposes.

Edmund nods, thinking the same thing himself, "Oreius, you approve, don't you?"

Oreius nods but says, "You do not need my approval, Sire. For when you decide, you decide."

Edmund nods in knowing, "I know, but it's still reassuring to have an opinion."

It's then that Edmund feels his heart clench, and it feels as if it's dropping into his stomach.

"Sire, what's wrong?" Oreius asks.

"Something's wrong with Peter. Something is very wrong." Edmund says.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, evil me, I wrote another cliffie.<strong>

**Have an AWESOMESAUCE day!**

**Serena-loves-Angst**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone, this chapter's a little short, and not as up-to-par with the first two, but hopefully there's something emotional in here. Thanks for all support! Everyone's been really good to me, I'd like to give them a thanks and a imaginary cookie.**

**And a special thanks and imaginary cookie to this anonymous reviewer:**

**Randomcat**

**Read, Enjoy, and Review!**

* * *

><p><span>King Edmund's Case:<span>

The Mysterious Death of Lord Cane

Chapter 3: The Vision, the Verdict's Outcome, and the Urgent Message from King Lune

Suddenly a wave of pain washed over Edmund and he knows it isn't because of his injuries or his concussion(s).

**...**

"_Bind him… Move through the… Keep that blindfold on, idiot! We can't let him see where we're going! The spell… lets him see but barely hear…" A warbled voice speaks._

"_But why do we even have this… boy?" Another distorted voice._

"_Lord Cane had sent a… to him and... it contained all of the… until he talks," A swift kick to the ribs, "We won't be able to… and for all we went through to… Now, go… and they should be reaching Glasswater Creek soon, make sure to position the… so they don't even get the chance to get to Glasswater Creek and… Got it?"_

"_Yes, Master."_

"_Good, leave. Go… so Darrin knows his place." Footsteps walking away, "Let's play Healer, shall we? But without the healing, just the part where I…"_

_A slice across the chest and abdomen and a scream…_

**...**

Edmund lets out a scream and he feels like his heart's going to burst with the way it's hammering in the confines of his sternum and spinal column.

"Sire! What's wrong?" Oreius is immediately at his side, Dar just beside him.

"I–I think I just heard and felt some things that Peter's going through." Edmund gasps, still taking in air from the sudden "vision".

"My lad, if may, what was happening?" Dar asks carefully, "You don't have to tell us now or at all for the matter, but it would be nice to know. Either way, it's your choice." He says when he sees the look in Edmund's eyes.

Edmund nods, taking a deep breath he starts, "There was a garbled voice, saying things about destinations, but I couldn't quite understand it. It had said to keep 'him', I think that's Peter, blindfolded or else, I think he's talking about me now, I'll see. Something about a spell that would let me see what was going on, even though it was pitch black, and I could barely hear what was going on. Then another distorted voice asked why they even had Peter. Now this is where it gets confusing, the first voice says something about Lord Cane sending something to Peter that contained something. This is probably what got him kidnapped by these persons, and then the voice said to position something at one place before we reach Glasswater Creek, they're waiting there, to ambush us I think. But I don't know what for," Edmund says, then he realizes that this is the part he's a little more than reluctant to tell, "The voice said, 'Yes, Master.' And then the first voice said something on checking on someone else, I think it was your brother, Lord Dar, because the first voice had said, 'Go… so Darrin knows his place.'" Dar's eyes darken, "Then it sounded as if someone were leaving. T–Then the first voice said something about playing Healer, just without this one part, I didn't quite hear it. Then it felt like a white-hot knife was slashing me open." Edmund shudders, "Then there was a scream, I think it was Peter's." He rubs his arms, "If what I felt was a fraction of the real thing I can't imagine what Peter's going through." His eyes moisten, but he wills it away, "We'll find our brothers, Dar. We must, from what it sounded like Darrin must've been in the same state as Peter's. Knowing this we'll carry on with a new vigor and determination, you agree, no?" Edmund looks at him with all of the might of Aslan in his eyes.

Dar nods, "No doubt about it," He says just as determinedly.

Oreius has silently left after this, feeling he is intruding, and decides to go gather the Council and come for Edmund and Dar later.

"Wait, where's Lord Cane now?" Edmund asks, recalling that he'd been mentioned in his "vision".

Dar looks as if he'd had the same recollection, then his eyes take on a sad look, "You know him, he was always in and out of the castle." Edmund notices the way he had said "was", "He was a spy for us, one of the very best, always taking of the underground affairs and secret dealings. Almost a sleuthing detective like you when you deem something worthy enough for a case." Dar says, his turquoise eyes flashing as they give Edmund a concerned and slightly deprecating look at this fact, for it had just nearly gotten the boy killed, "About a month ago, about half a fortnight give or take actually just before Darrin had gone to investigate, he was murdered, we don't know by who. Apparently, he'd been onto something big by the looks of it, but we never found out. His body… Well, we've preserved it for now…" Dar says slowly, continuing he says, "You know how he was Cole and Colin's long lost brother, right? Well, they don't know he's dead. They're visiting the Seven Isles, something to do with a favor they'd owed the King Dreyik of Grayilad." Dar sighs.

Edmund imagines what it would be like to find out that a long-lost brother who he hadn't been reunited with until only a mere three years ago was dead, he doesn't like what his imagination shows him.

"They're going to be devastated," Edmund murmurs sorrowfully.

Dar looks the same way, if not more deploringly.

"I know," He sighs, the two Lords are like brothers to him, he feels the same way about them as he does Darrin, and he had felt the same way about Cane before he'd been killed.

Edmund's eyes harden and he looks at Dar, "I've decided, I'm going to finish this case."

Dar looks at him, shocked, but that quickly turns to anger, "What are you talking about? There's no way! You were almost drowned last night because of two assassins that a vengeful Calormene Lord that sent when he had broke out of the jail you put him in! And if these people were enough to take Peter _and_ kill Cane then what makes you think you're capable?" He asks calmly, his voice betraying his calmness by rising on some parts.

Edmund gives him a look that he only uses when he's "King Edmund the Just", "That's just it, Cane sent something to _my_ brother, because of it his life's in danger, so is your brother's. And you've said it yourself, when I see a case that I think is worthy than I take it, and I can clearly see this case begging to be solved. If Cane was killed for it, what makes you think more won't? And I was taken by surprise, those assassins weren't traitors in my eyes a few days ago, they were fellow Narnians, friends who I'd trusted with my and all of the people and Narnians here's lives." says Edmund, a blaze in his eyes, "Things go wrong, but that's life, Lord Dar. You have to learn to either let it get to you, or to take charge and do what you must and want, or else you're never going to get to where you want to be." He states.

Dar sighs, knowing that all is lost when Edmund has _that look_ in his eyes and he speaks with so much conviction and determination.

"Fine," Dar speaks, weariness in his voice, "Just try not to get into or create trouble. Oh, what am I saying? Trouble always finds you, or you (un)knowingly create it." Dar sighs again.

Edmund sees this and gives him a smile, albeit small, but a smile, "I know I get on the nerves of quite a good number of people, sorry, it appears that you're one of them. Can't help it, though." He says slightly apologetically.

Dar gives him a look, "Listen, lad, a lot of people care about you for being _you_, and you're worth more than you know. That's what you need to learn, don't sell yourself short. That's the reason why I'm so reluctant and discommending about this; I know King Lune would be as well. And your sisters, especially Peter. Along with Cain and many others."

Edmund gives him a look, "Well, if Lord Cane was here then we wouldn't be in this situation," He says then sighs, "But, thanks for the information…" Then he quotes softly, "'_It's easier for others to forgive you, than for you to forgive yourself._'"

Dar gives him a small smile, "Cane's favorite saying, he used to tell you it when you were thinking of the past and he was there to reprimand your self-destructive thoughts." He says, "Just remember this, Edmund, don't sell yourself short, there's too many people who value you in their lives for you to that to yourself, three in particular." Dar says, rising, "If you need something, call for someone, they'll surely come." He says before leaving, a deeper meaning in his words.

'_I know you're right, it's just a little hard to believe, that's why I usually keep myself from thinking these thoughts. But I guess it's high time someone told me,_' Edmund thinks, eyes staring at the ceiling of the tent.

He lay there for who knows how long thinking about Dar's words and thoughts he dare not think before, and he found himself getting a clearer state of mind as he thinks over things.

"Sire, the Council is gathering, are you able enough to attend?" Oreius asks, coming into the tent.

Edmund gives him a half-hearted glare, "I am indeed, it's about high time we discuss everything over, and possibly decide the verdict of the two traitors." Then his eyes widen in realization, "Tunkum and Citrine, how are they taking it? Blast, why didn't I think of it before?" He groans in frustration, leaping out of the hammock successfully_–_through many years of practice_–_he ignores the stabs of pain in his sides and the way his head pounded when he moves and grabs the first tunic that reaches his hands from his satchel, it's red with black undertones. Hastily putting it on he dons his silver crown that awaits him on a pillow by his satchel and starts tying on his sword-belt. "Come on, Oreius! We don't have all day, I'd like to speak with Tunkum and Citrine before the Council is adjourned." He says, swiftly walking past him.

'_Typical of Sire, ignoring his own injuries to aide another's._' Oreius thinks, he gently pushes Edmund back to his upright state in order to quell the swaying of the boy's equilibrium. '_Well, tries to ignore his injuries._' Oreius thinks dryly as the boy stumbles again.

"Sire, Tunkum and Citrine are the other way." Oreius says patiently, Edmund blushes a little and lets Oreius take the lead.

He leads them to a red tent with a gold-detailed decoration of Penthos, a/the daemon of grief, mourning, and sorrow. It made sense that they would be in that tent, no one has died, but it's almost as if someone had.

"Tunkum, Citrine, may we come in?" Edmund asks, not wanting to intrude on anything personal and wanting to give them a moment to ready themselves.

"Of course, Sire, we've been expecting you, if you were able." A voice, Tunkum's, sounds from inside.

Edmund smiles softly when he hears Citrine's voice say, "Of course he'd come, able or not, as long as he can get his feet moving he'd come for a situation like this."

Going through the tent flap he's greeted by the sight of Tunkum hugging Citrine, eyes red and slightly puffy from crying.

"Are you two feeling alright?" Then Edmund face-palms, wincing at the pounding in his head it brought, "Of course you're not alright!" Edmund scolds himself, he looks at them apologetically, "Here's a better question: How are you feeling?"

Tunkum gives him a small smile, Citrine as well, her's a little smaller.

"I feel horrid, angry, sad, ashamed." Tunkum says, all of the mentioned emotions bleeding through his words.

Citrine nods her agreement, Edmund looks at the two, "It's expected that you would feel that way, thanks for telling me truthfully as well." He says with a small smile.

Citrine gives a wet snort, "With all due respect, Sire, you would find a way to get the truth, us liking it or not, it's better we answer you honestly than going through that process."

Edmund laughs at that, then winces, "Don't make me laugh, it hurts."

Citrine immediately leaves Tunkum's embrace, "What's wrong? Where are you hurt?" She asks, not having been able to have done Edmund's healing last night because she'd been too distraught.

Edmund shakes his head, "It's nothing." He says.

"Sire, I think we have a right to know, our brother and sister harmed you, we need to know." Tunkum says, his voice surprisingly strong.

Edmund sighs, "You already know about the sides, it just stings a little when I laugh, and I had a concussion as well so my head can pound a bit. The only thing that they added to it was temporary paralyzation and a second concussion, minus the drowning bit." Edmund answers.

Tunkum's eyes darken and Citrine pauses her inspection of Edmund.

"Sire, I'm extremely sorry." Tunkum says in defeat, his head hanging in shame.

Edmund looks at him in confusion, "Whatever for? And you shouldn't lower your head, you might crick your neck." says Edmund, giving him a soft smile on the last words.

Tunkum tries to smile back but it doesn't work, "It's my fault that this happened, if I had been more–" He starts.

Edmund looks at him sharply, giving him a "King Edmund the Just" look, "Were you the one that sent Tankum and Selene to the Calormenes?"

"No, Sire!"

"Were you the one that sold them to Taabardeesh?"

"No, Sire." says Tunkum less fiercely, sensing where this is headed.

"Were you the one that trained them to be assassins?"

"No, Sire."

"And were you the one that got Taabardeesh arrested, in thus resulting in Tankum and Selene breaking him out of jail and him giving them the mission to assassinate me?"

"No, I'm afraid that was all you, Sire."

Edmund gives him a wry smile, "And were you the one who threw me against a tree and then threw me into the Rush River?" He asks, his smile gone.

Tunkum's hands ball up into fists, "No, Sire."

"Then nothing's your fault," says Edmund simply.

"But, Sire, if I had just noticed or something, this wouldn't have happened!" Tunkum protests.

Edmund shakes his head, "There was nothing you could've done to expect this, I for one, didn't even know that Taabardeesh had broken out." Then he puts up his "King Edmund the Just" look again, "Thinking these thought are poisonous as treason, but they're treason against yourself. Don't let those thoughts overcome you, Tunkum." He looks at Citrine, "I haven't forgotten about you, the same goes for you. You haven't been vocal but I know you feel the same way." Then he looks at the two and gives them a smile, "May Aslan guide and protect you through these times, never lose sight of what's important to you, especially your love for each other." He says, kissing their foreheads, as is the tradition when blessing someone. That's the only way he'll allow someone to kiss him or vice-versa.

Turning, he leaves with Oreius to the Council tent.

"That was well-handled, Sire. Peter will be proud." Oreius comments.

Edmund doesn't look embarrassed or blush a little as usual, "Thanks, Oreius, but there was nothing to handle, they just needed to see it from a different perspective." Then he looks a little flushed, "Do you really think Peter will be proud?"

Oreius gives him a light smile, "Yes, Sire, I would not have said so otherwise."

Edmund nods, "We have to find him and Lord Darrin, kill the people that took them, so we can take care of the disturbance in Glasswater, and then I can solve Cain's last case. It'll be the least I can do for all the man's done for me in the past." He says.

Oreius frowns, "I only agree with the finding High King Peter and Lord Darrin part," He says.

Edmund sighs, "I guess we can weed out the good people from the people that took Peter and Lord Darrin, then we can do the rest." He says with a satisfied smile.

Oreius frown stays, that isn't what he'd meant. But before he can say anything they reach the Council tent.

"Alright, let's summarize everything that's happened then start discussing it, then I'll decide the verdict for the two traitors." Says Edmund, immediately silencing the discussions that were taking place when he'd walked in.

"This party, from Narnia, had been assembled to go take care of a disturbance in Glasswater Creek. On the way we encountered the offspring of a Fell Beast and a Wyvern, it's species name is Fellvern thanks to Virges, that night we made camp and held a Council meeting. Discussing the Fellvern, figuring that the Fellvern was part of the problem and that there was something bigger than what we'd thought at first at large. My brother, High King Peter, and I had a slight disagreement. When I'd retired to our tent I'd discovered that he had the start of a Fall Fever, deciding to get someone to check it in the morning I fell asleep. In the morning I was awoken by Tankum," murmurs and whispers passed through the Council, "He had said that Peter had gone missing, he'd gone for a walk in the night and had never come back. Few things happened before Selene came to tell me that Oreius had gathered the Council," more murmurs and whispers at Selene's name, "At the Council we discussed the disappearance of my brother, deciding groups for searching and staying at camp I wrote of our situation to me sisters. I received a letter from them in return and soon Sunwing had the report that there was a group of creatures heading towards our part to attack. After gaining a few injuries Lord Dar and the Archenlanders showed up and helped us immensely when we were on the verge of losing." Edmund flashes a grateful look at the mentioned Lord, "After a couple of not-so-important events, I had finally retired to my tent, courtesy of Citrine." He smiles, even though the half-Dryad half-dwarf isn't there, "It was in the night that the two traitors, Tankum and Selene, had come into my tent. After a few exchanged words they had managed to paralyze me with a drug soaked into the gag they used, draping a cover over me after binding my hands and feet for precaution they exited through the camp, using the excuse that Tunkum was dead and they were going to bury him." Edmund's eyes darken, "More words were exchanged after I got my second concussion, then deciding that we had talked enough they threw me into the river. From there I was rescued by Lord Dar," He gives him another grateful look, "I don't remember much, because my concussion had started to talk, apparently," He gives Oreius and Dar a look, "I'm quite the handful when I have a concussion, and it was worsened by having two." A few chuckles are heard, "When I'd woken up Lord Dar and I decided that our parties would travel together, since both of our brothers are missing and there was a disturbance near Stormness Head that had drawn Lord Darrin's attention. I received a vision, what I've drawn from it is that Lord Cane had sent something to Peter and that's what has gotten him kidnapped, Lord Darrin is with them. I'm afraid that from what I've heard is that neither is in good shape, and the person(s) that have them have something planned for us before we reach Glasswater Creek." Edmund finishes. The whole reason he'd explained everything was for the Archenlanders' convenience and to freshen the memories of the Council. "And from this we can start the discussion." He says.

"What is our course of action for this?" Gnomekorr asks.

"We continue on our way to Glasswater Creek, we'll see what happens on the way there, we just have to be cautious. They could attack us at anytime." Edmund answers, "Lord Dar, do you agree?"

Dar nods, "Simple, but I like it." He smiles.

"Sire," Umbraclaw, the one in charge of the Panthers, starts, "Do you think that these persons are the disturbance at Glasswater Creek and Stormness Head?" He asks.

Edmund shakes his head, "This is a different thing entirely, this involves the case that Lord Cane had been working on before he'd been murdered, these people have something to do with this, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it as soon as we take care of the disturbance in Glasswater Creek and get Peter and Lord Darrin back." He says, "You know the group of creatures that had attacked us? They're the most likely things to be the disturbance." Reasons Edmund.

"Sire, did you just say that you were going to finish Lord Cane's last case?" Virges asks, her sharp mind had picked up the realization from Edmund's carefully chosen words.

Edmund sighs, thinking he should've known better than to have tried to have hidden it, "Yes, I am. As soon as both Peter and Darrin are safe and we've taken care of Glasswater Creek." He answers.

There are a numerous amount of protests, "But, Sire, you can't!" or "Think of what happened last night, we can't lose you!" or "Why? There's no need!"

Edmund puts a hand up for silence, "Whatever this case may involve, I will deal with it. It has taken not only my brother, but Lord Dar's brother. Along with that, a close friend of mine was killed, he had sent something to Peter containing something vital. Like it or not, it's my business as much as Peter's, and it's the least I can do for Lord Cane for all that he's done for me. And if his life was taken, and Peter and Lord Darrin are being harmed, what reason is there to think that no one else will be harmed, possibly killed?" He asks, dark chocolate eyes looking at everyone and thing in the tent, challenging them to answer. "Exactly," He states, "Now, there's other things to be done, meaning the verdict of the two traitors, Tankum and Selene." Oreius leaves the tent and comes back with an Archenlander and a Faun holding the two mentioned traitors.

Tankum looks at Edmund loathingly, "Shouldn't you be at the bottom of the riverbed by now?" He asks.

A fury of nasty remarks and reprimands are bombarded at the Faun from both Narnians and Archenlanders.

"So, _My King_," Selene sneers, "What justice are you going to bestow upon us?" More shouts of fury.

"Enough!" shouts Edmund, making everything completely silent, "For the act of kidnapping and attempted murder against a Narnian Monarch you two are branded with the title of traitors, and the verdict will be…" His voice staying even with every word, "Banishment, from Narnia, Archenland, Galma, Terebinthia, the Lone Islands, and the Seven Isles. You have until the next sunset to leave this country, if not, you will killed on sight." He says. He's never condemned anyone to death and isn't about to start now, everyone deserves a second chance, like he had. "Umbraclaw the Panther and Tayunas the Faun will escort you to the Fords of Beruna and from there you must continue on your own." Umbraclaw and Tayunas nod. "Goodbye, Tankum and Selene, may Aslan watch over you." Says Edmund, knowing it will have little effect on the two.

"Goodbye, may you die an agonizingly painful and slow death, _King_." Tankum leers at him.

Edmund sighs when the barrage of furious death threats and reprimands are shot at the two again but this time with a renewed vigor and more fervid lividness.

Selene only grins at him, "You know it's too bad the Witch got you first, I wouldn't have minded deflowering you myself." A lascivious and deriding look on her features, Edmund freezes and almost faints from shock that she knows.

All of the shouts suddenly vanish as if they'd never been said; all eyes are on Edmund, shock varying on each expression, save for Virges's, her's is sorrowful.

"Edmund," Dar gulps, "What does she mean?"

"Isn't it clear enough?" Edmund snaps, everyone in the room, save for the two traitors and Virges, winces at the tone, "The Witch had taken my virginity when I was with her, she'd erased my memory of everything and I only found out a few days ago about this." Then he glares at the smirking Selene, "Are you happy now?"

"Very," She licks her lips, looking more like a minx than a half-dryad half-dwarf.

Umbraclaw and Tayunas didn't want to keep Edmund in a rough spot any longer and immediately start to haul the two traitors out of the tent. When they were gone the tense silence is very much palpable.

"There's nothing more to be said," Edmund says, nothing coloring in his voice, "We'll move out when Umbraclaw and Tayunas get back, until then, you're not to bother me. You're all dismissed." He finishes, turning on his heel and leaving before anyone can say anything.

Oreius and Dar exchange glances, immediately following after their clearly internally distraught King.

"Sire," Oreius starts.

"Don't, just go." Edmund says from where he's laying on his hammock.

"Now, lad, that's just a bit rude." Dar frowns.

Edmund whips his head to look at him so fast he almost gets whiplash, he's experienced it, painful as bloody hell.

"I think I have a right to have a little time to myself when a traitor revealed a secret I'd only just found out about to my whole party and yours!" Edmund snaps.

"Lad, I understand your anger, but you have to talk about it to someone. Frankly, we're the closest two people that won't tell anyone about this." Dar says, trying to be soft.

Edmund suddenly gives him a shaky smile, "I'm not angry, Dar, far from it. I'm scared, frightened, worried out of my wits, defensive maybe, but I'm not angry." He says, his voice quaking slightly. "Even though it's been four, five days since I found out, I've had thoughts that made me think that I deserved it. The punishment worse than death for a traitor like me: torture and the taking of my innocence."

Oreius's eyes blaze, "You have no idea what you're talking about! You're our King, you may've had a rough start, but that's what makes you such a pride-bringing and amazing person, let alone King!" He says fiercely.

Dar smiles, "I agree with the man– er, Centaur. Remember what I'd told you before, Edmund. Don't sell yourself short."

Edmund looks at them in shock, then he looks down and says, "I know, it's just a little hard to believe at times. I don't talk to anyone when I have these thoughts because I don't want to be weak, I need to prove myself. And going to someone every time I have a self-destructive thought is proving myself as an uncertain, whiny, little brat instead of the certain, decisive, and understanding King that I need to be." He confesses, this is something he's only ever told Lucy before. Susan would've kept asking him if he was alright and Peter… Well, Peter would do everything in his power to keep him from having these thoughts and wear himself thin while doing this and taking care of other things that already exhaust him till his battery life is 0%.

Dar's eyes soften, "Lad, there's no reason for you to do this, surely if you talked to one of your siblings they'd understand, and they'd be able to help you. True, these thoughts are plaguing but they don't last forever, if you talked to one of your siblings these thoughts will surely disperse in a faster time than if you try to fix them yourself." He says.

Oreius nods, "I may not be the best Centaur to talk to, but I always keep what needs to be kept secret a secret, I'm also not the best with advice but I say what I think needs to be said. And I think I've said all I can but this: Believe in yourself and remember your family. They'll always be there for you, as will I and all of Narnia." He says, bowing, taking his leave.

Dar chuckles at the Centaur's antics, "See what I meant? There are many people that value and care for you being you in their lives." He says, a twinkle in his eyes.

Edmund nods mutely, taking everything in, then he says, "I'm sorry, Dar." He whispers.

Dar shakes his head, "What you needed has been given, now maybe you can go after what you're heart desires."

Edmund give him a small smile, "That would be getting Peter and Darrin back so we can take care of the disturbance and then Cane's last case."

Dar sighs, "Even when you're down in the dumps you're adamant about this."

Edmund laughs, "You can only expect it– Ow, don't make me laugh, it hurts." He winces.

Dar chuckles, then asks, "Are you going to leave your tent or are you gonna stay?"

"I'll leave, need to apologize." Edmund says, sitting up.

"The Council's probably back to whatever they were doing before," Points out Dar.

Edmund mutters something then says, "Oh well, there's still things to be done, people and Narnians to help." The two walk out and see a sight they'll never forget:

Peacocks of all colors: blue and green, red and gold, white, purple and silver, orange and black, and more have all gathered in front of their camp.

A Peacock with a blue and green base but has a white-gold-detailing tail steps forward and bows.

"Greetings, my name is Vishnu, I am the clan leader of the Chandra Clan. What brings you to this part of the forest of the Dancing Lawn?" He asks politely.

Edmund smiles at the peacock, recalling messenger that had brought the news that this part of the forest belonged to the Chandra Clan.

"I am King Edmund," He bows, "And this is Lord Dar, Head of King Lune's military." He bows.

Vishnu does a sweep with one wing as a bow, taking Edmund's hand he kisses it, making sure not to stab it with his beak, "An honor it is to meet you, Your Highness."

"And you, Lord Vishnu." Edmund says.

A white peacock with a rainbow-colored tail steps forth when Vishnu beckons her, "This is my wife, Lakshmi."

"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Lakshmi." Edmund bows, kissing her wing.

Dar smiles at them, "As to your earlier question, we're here because we're on our way to Glasswater Creek. We have a business to do there."

Edmund nods, "Well, then do you know of the people that have the remains of a camp and are waiting for something just a little ways ahead?" asks Lakshmi.

Edmund says, "Something like that, we knew there was an ambush waiting for us, we just didn't know where." He says, then smiles at the two, "But thanks to you, My Lady, we do now. Would you like something in return?" He asks.

Vishnu and Lakshmi exchange looks, "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, would you mind making sure that everyone knows this land is ours? We've had to fight constantly to keep it safe, we're currently up against a tribe of Vultures. It would do us a great relief if you would tell that we own this land." Vishnu replies, some weariness showing on his features.

Edmund grins, "Even better, we'll take care of them ourselves, find them a territory where they can reside, and I'll make sure to make a map of Narnia and mark down who's territory is where. Yours will be in there I assure you this." He says.

Vishnu and Lakshmi's eyes shine with gratitude, "Oh, thank you, King Edmund!" They croon, their clan crooning something in Peacock as well.

"Think nothing of it, if any of my siblings were here they'd agree." Edmund tells them.

**…**

Edmund and Dar plop down on the ground of Edmund's tent, covered in beak-bites and feathers.

"We did it, after a torturous screeching and picking-at-our-flesh session, we did it!" Edmund grins at Dar.

"It was wise giving them the land between near Cauldron Pool, considering the fact that they're Bearded Vultures. But it was odd that they'd tried to settle in the forest, since they're mountain birds." Dar comments.

Edmund looks thoughtful, "Well, they could've been living somewhere in the mountains near Archenland and when they'd heard that the Witch's reign was over they tried to migrate to where they originally were, and the topography could've changed so they wouldn't have really understood the way back and had thought that all of Narnia was forest and river so maybe they'd tried to settle where the Chandra Clan was." He suggests, but then frowns, "That's a pretty weak explanation though, well, some things are better left unexplained." He says, shaking his head and shower of feathers fell out.

"They liked your hair, didn't they?" Dar asks amused.

Edmund smirks, "I think Susan's the only one who doesn't like it, knowing her she'll want to keep the back short and the front short-medium (AN: Think of his hair in Prince Caspian). I sort of like her style, but this one's much better in my opinion."

Dar looks as if he's imagining the look on Edmund, "You know, she's right." Edmund looks at him in disbelief, "She is! The style suits you better now than your current one, your current one is one you should wear when you're in your twenties." He comments.

Edmund sputters then sighs then mutters something, stomping over his satchel he grabs the dagger inside and the silver comb he never uses. He stomps over to a surprised Dar and shoves the items into his hands then turns around and sits in front of him.

"What's this now, lad?" Dar asks amusedly, already knowing the answer.

"Susan's almost always right when it comes on how to look for hair and clothes, and I trust you, you've never told me a lie." Edmund replies, "And don't start lying now by saying you don't know how cut hair, I remember you saying one time that you cut your own hair, which isn't so bad-looking." Edmund says.

"It's nice to know my hair is moderate." Dar chuckles, from that he set to work. The outcome is actually better than the starting material. "There, finished. And might I say that your sister and I were right." He grins at Edmund.

"Mirror, I need a mirror." Edmund says, then goes over to his satchel and shuffles through it until he finds one, taking it out he looked at his reflection. His eyes widen, "You two weren't right at all!" He exclaims, Dar frowns, "You two were _bloody_ right!" Dar looks at him with a raised eyebrow then laughs.

"Lord Dar!" An Archenlander comes into the tent, Sean Gawain, he's the same age as Edmund and training to be a knight, "We've gotten a message from Anvard." He says, stepping forward and he hands him the letter. He grins awkwardly at Edmund, "Hello, Ed, you feelin' alright?" He asks, he and Edmund had met when Edmund and his siblings had first visited Anvard.

Edmund nods, grinning back, "What do you say to a little sparring match a little later? We haven't had one in ages."

Sean smiles, "Love to, mate." He winks before leaving the tent.

Dar starts to read the letter aloud,

_"__Dear Lord Dar,_

_There is urgent business that you, your party, and King Edmund along with his party, need to come to Anvard for. Do not fear, there is nothing wrong, only something urgent. I would also like to discuss some other pressing matters along with the urgent business, and do tell King Edmund to not get his knickers in a twist, he'll be pleasantly surprised when he sees the urgent business._

_Sincerely,_

_King Lune of Archenland_" Dar finishes.

"He makes it sound as if I were a girl with the way he specifically put, '_Do tell King Edmund to not get his knickers in a twist,_' I haven't even _seen_ a pair of knickers, except for that one time with Susan…" Edmund huffs, then shudders at the last part.

Dar chuckles, then asks, "So you're coming with us then?"

Edmund nods, "The letter specifically says to come, and maybe he knows something about Peter and Darrin's condition." Then his eyes widen in realization, "What about Peter and Darrin? How are we supposed to rescue them if we're going to Anvard?" He asks Dar.

"King Lune knows of our situation, this must be extremely important if he's going to call us to Anvard." Dar remarks, "I'm going, I trust in King Lune." He says.

Edmund sighs, "I guess I am as well, but this had better be extremely important."

Dar nods, "I'm sure it will be."

**…**

The trip to Anvard was quite uneventful, surprisingly. When they arrived they found that Lune was tight-lipped about letting Edmund know the reason for why he should've come. So Edmund obediently followed Lune into the castle and who is now leading him to a certain room in the castle.

Lune opens the door, revealing a grand guest bedroom, the door to the balcony is open, letting the Sun's red-gold rays filter into the room as it sets and the cool mountain breeze. But that's not what get Edmund's attention, it's the figure standing in front of the fireplace.

Edmund's breath catches in his throat when he recognizes the figure, and he utters one word,

"_Peter._"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**And for those who like this I'll make a prequel, the story of Edmund's first case. That one involves a murder and is set around the time Cor is kidnapped.**

**And for Edmund lovers you have got to check out the story, The Way Things Are. It's by A Amelia Black, the story is amazing! And she's the one who inadvertently inspired me to write this story, along with the story Miscreants and Murderers by King Caspian the Seafarer.**

**Love you all, have an AWESOMESAUCE day!**

**Serena-loves-Angst**


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